Ultimate Gulf Coast Gumbo Recipes

GULF COAST GUMBO

Steps:

• Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the crayfish a little at a time so as not to stop the boil, and let cook until pink. Using a slotted spoon remove the crayfish and set aside until they are cool enough to handle. (Skim off and discard any impurities that have risen to the surface of the stock.) Now, remove the shells from the shrimp and add the shells to the pot of chicken stock, reserving the uncooked shrimp on a utility platter. Allow the shrimp shells to cook in the broth until pink, then strain the stock into another container and discard the shells.
• While the shrimp shells are boiling, heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage and remove to a platter until it is cool enough to handle. In the sausage drippings over medium heat, saute the onion, celery, and green bell pepper until the onion turns translucent. Reduce the heat and whisk in the flour to make a roux, and let cook for about 15 minutes until it becomes a brown roux.
• While the roux is browning, slice the sausage into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces. Put the tomato paste in a small bowl and add some of the warm stock to make a slurry. Gradually whisk the warm stock and the tomato paste into the roux. Add the garlic powder, crushed red pepper, okra, 1 tablespoon parsley, scallions, red bell pepper, tomatoes and sausage. Cook over low heat until the okra - which contains a thickening agent - is tender, about 15 minutes, and the sausage is cooked through. While the mixture is cooking, remove the crayfish from their shells. (This is done by cracking the tail with both hands and forcing it back out through the curve of the tail.) Add the oysters and shrimp to the pot and cook about 5 minutes until the oysters are plump and the shrimp are pink. Stir in crayfish. Remove pot from heat and carefully fold in crab, trying not to break up the lumps.
• To serve, place some rice on serving dish and spoon some gumbo over. Sprinkle with file powder and garnish with remaining parsley.

GOOD NEW ORLEANS CREOLE GUMBO

Steps:

• Make a roux by whisking the flour and 3/4 cup bacon drippings together in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat to form a smooth mixture. Cook the roux, whisking constantly, until it turns a rich mahogany brown color. This can take 20 to 30 minutes; watch heat carefully and whisk constantly or roux will burn. Remove from heat; continue whisking until mixture stops cooking.
• Place the celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the vegetables are very finely chopped. Stir the vegetables into the roux, and mix in the sausage. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
• Bring the water and beef bouillon cubes to a boil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Stir until the bouillon cubes dissolve, and whisk the roux mixture into the boiling water. Reduce heat to a simmer, and mix in the sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer the soup over low heat for 1 hour; mix in 2 teaspoons of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in a skillet, and cook the okra with vinegar over medium heat for 15 minutes; remove okra with slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo. Mix in crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Just before serving, stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder.

BAKED CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE GUMBO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Stir flour, oil, and butter together to form a paste. Transfer "roux" to the center of a large roasting pan and spread out into a rough rectangle about 1/2-inch thick, leaving enough room around the outside to place the chicken and sausage.
• Lay chicken thighs, skin-side down, and sausage pieces around the roux. Season chicken generously with salt.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and scatter onion, celery, and bell pepper evenly over the chicken, sausage, and roux. Briefly stir the roux in the center, then spread it back out. Continue baking for 20 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven; remove chicken and sausage to a plate and reserve until needed. Stir vegetables and roux together in the pan, spread back out into an even layer, and bake for another 20 minutes, or until roux is as browned as you like.
• Mix chicken broth, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf, and cayenne in a large bowl or pitcher. Refrigerate cooking liquid until needed.
• Pour the cold cooking liquid mixture into the gumbo and whisk until well combined. Stir in tomatoes and okra. Add the sausage and chicken back in, skin-side up. Continue baking, stirring gently and occasionally, until liquid is thick and chicken is very tender, 30 to 40 minutes more.
• Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Garnish with green onions.