Mardi Gras 2019
“Laissez les bons temps rouler” ~ Let the good times roll
We are right around the corner from Mardi Gras and things are beginning to get real flavorful around here! I’ve got a few recipes up my sleeve, but we’re going to start with the most extravagant, it’s Fat Tuesday, you know!
Depending on where you’re from you could celebrate the final feast day before Lent with a fat stack of pancakes OR if you’re southern (or married to a southern boy..like me) with this AMAZING bowl of seafood gumbo. Of course, we make gumbo several times a year, but not like this. This gumbo is the ultimate, packed with Dungeness crab, shrimp and andouille sausage.
Seafood Gumbo
Servings 6
Ingredients
Roux
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup flour
Gumbo
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 6 cup seafood or chicken broth
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 5 large bay leaves
- 1 large Dungeness crab (or your local favorite 1lb +) body shell reserved, if available
- 8 large shrimp, cleaned well, peeled with tail left on
- 1 cup andouille sausage, sliced in rounds on a bias
- 1 tbsp parsley
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 3 tsp file powder
Instructions
Roux
- Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot over medium high heat. Stir in flour using a wooden spoon. Continue stirring until roux is copper penny colored. This could take up to 20 minutes. Do not stop stirring because it will burn and taste horrible.
Gumbo
- After roux is copper penny colored, add onion, celery and pepper. Stir to combine 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Add broth, cayenne, bay leaves and body shell of crab, if using. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove body shell of crab. Add crab meat, shrimp, andouille sausage, parsley, salt, Cajun seasoning and file powder. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Serve with rice, chopped green onions and crusty french bread