Seafood Gumbo

Total Time: 2 hrs 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 4 live blue crabs (halved)
• 1 lb raw shrimp (peeled and deveined, with tails off)
• 1 lb fish fillets, such as redfish or 1 lb another firm fish (cut into pieces)
• 1 lb sea scallops
• 1 pint oyster (in their liquor)
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup flour
• 2 onions (chopped)
• 2 celery ribs (finely chopped)
• 1/2 green bell pepper (finely chopped)
• 6 cloves garlic (minced)
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley (chopped)
• 1 bunch scallion (chopped, both and green parts)
• 2 quarts shrimp or 2 quarts seafood stock (chicken stock may be substituted)
• salt and black pepper

Recipe

• 1 in a large, heavy saucepot or dutch oven, melt the butter and whisk in flour until smooth.
• 2 cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until roux is a peanut butter color, about 20 minutes.
• 3 immediately add onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic and bay leaves and cook until vegetables are very soft, about 8 minutes.
• 4 add stock and whisk to combine.
• 5 bring to a boil, skim surface and reduce heat to a simmer.
• 6 add crabs and cook for 1 1/2 hours, until thickened and flavorful.
• 7 if gumbo seems too thick, thin with water or stock.
• 8 add the shrimp, scallops and fish and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and the scallops and fish are cooked through.
• 9 add the oysters with their liquor, parsley and scallions, and cook until the edges of the oysters curl, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• 10 taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.
• 11 serve in large bowls, making certain that everyone gets some of each kind of seafood.