Ultimate Seafood Gumbo

5.00 (9)
⏱ 420 mins 🍽 8 serving(s) 🏷 Gumbo

This seafood gumbo is a labour of love, requiring a lengthy cooking process to achieve its celebrated depth of flavour. It begins with a homemade stock simmered for hours, which forms the base for the gumbo. The dish is packed with okra, andouille sausage, crabmeat, crawfish, and shrimp, all seasoned with a distinctive blend of herbs and spices. It is traditionally served over long-grain rice for a complete and satisfying meal.

Ultimate Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients

  • shrimp shells, from 1 pound of shrimp (41-50's)
  • 5 quarts water
  • 4 carrots, sliced
  • 4 onions, quartered
  • 1/2 bunch celery, sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 2 sprigs fresh parsley
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups chopped celery
  • 2 cups chopped onions
  • 2 cups chopped green bell peppers
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons file powder
  • 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
  • 7 cups stock (above recipe)
  • 1 lb sliced okra
  • 1 lb andouille sausage, sliced
  • 1 cup crabmeat
  • 1 lb cooked and peeled crawfish tail
  • 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells reserved for stock
  • hot pepper sauce
  • salt & pepper
  • seafood creole seasoning

Method

  1. For the stock, bake the shrimp shells at 375 degrees F until they are dried and begin to brown at the edges.
  2. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes.
  3. Place all the stock ingredients into an 8-quart pot and bring the mixture to a boil.
  4. Lower the heat and allow it to cook uncovered for 5 hours.
  5. Once the stock has cooled, strain the liquid from the vegetables, discarding all the solids.
  6. To make the gumbo, mix the cayenne, white and black peppers, paprika, thyme, oregano, bay leaf and salt together in a small bowl.
  7. Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy pot that is at least 6 quarts in size.
  8. Stir in the chopped onions, celery, and green bell peppers.
  9. Increase the heat, continuing to stir the vegetables frequently.
  10. Add the minced garlic, file powder, and the prepared spice blend to the pot.
  11. Cook this mixture for 5 minutes, ensuring you stir it constantly.
  12. Pour in the tomato sauce and stock, then bring everything back to a boil.
  13. Reduce the heat and let the gumbo simmer for 30 minutes, giving it an occasional stir.
  14. Add the sliced okra and andouille sausage and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes.
  15. Just before serving, incorporate all the seafood and cook it for 3 minutes.
  16. Switch off the heat, cover the pot, and let it stand for 10 minutes.
  17. Serve the finished gumbo ladled over long-grain rice.

Nutrition (per serving)

Sodium1884700 mg

Recipe details

CategoryGumbo
Authorglynn117