Seafood Gumbo

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 15
• 4 quarts water
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4 cups okra, sliced
• 6 large tomatoes, chopped (2 large can of tomato substitute)
• 2 onions, large and chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped, with leaves
• 2 cups bell peppers (blend 3/4 cup each bell red and green and 1/2 cup jalapeno chopped)
• 12 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons cajun seasoning
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
• 3 ounces tomato paste
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup sunflower oil or 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 lb crabmeat
• 3 lbs shrimp, small to medium
• 10 oysters (optional)
• for stock
• 3 carrots, halved
• 3 celery ribs, halved
• 3 onions, quartered

Recipe

• 1 *make seafood stock from 2 teaspoons salt, shrimp heads and shells, crab bodies,(fish carcasses or all of the above for stock) along with the carrots, celery and onions.bring to a boil 4 quarts of water, lower heat to mid heat 45 m -1hour. strain the stock, discarding solids.
• 2 cook okra in the butter/oil blend in a large, heavy stainless steel pot over medium heat, stirring and scraping until some of the sliminess is gone; about 10-15 minutes.
• 3 at same time make roux by blending 1/3 cup flour with 1/3 cup oil keep stirring on mid heat until brown – darkish brown.
• 4 in another pan fry, onions, celery, garlic, peppers, lemon, the seasonings and herb mix for 10 minute.
• 5 add tomato and tomato paste and cook over low to medium heat for about 15 minute.
• 6 add okra and roux together . then add to veggie mix for 15 minute stirring and scraping often.
• 7 very slowly blend the stock into the mixture. simmer about 30 minute.
• 8 add crab and shrimp and simmer 10 to 15 minutes.
• 9 add oysters and simmer about 5 minutes. add green onions.
• 10 cook desired amount of parboiled rice and place in a soup bowl.
• 11 pour desired amount of the gumbo over cooked rice.
• 12 you can play with the amounts to your liking but this is absolutely cant miss.
• 13 you can play with the volume of seafood to your liking,
• 14 this is a large volume for a fairly big crowd my suggestion is to leave the shrimp, crab and oysters out and jar/can the gumbo as a base for when you are ready for it and then once boiling add the seafood.