Seafood Gumbo From Tony Burke
Description
This traditional Cajun seafood gumbo delivers deep, complex flavors through a dark roux and a rich homemade stock. The dish balances the earthiness of spices like thyme, oregano, and cayenne with the sweetness of fresh seafood, including shrimp, crab claws, and oysters. Sliced okra provides a natural thickening agent and a slight textural contrast, while the final addition of file powder adds a distinct, nutty finish. It is a robust, warming stew perfect for cold evenings or festive gatherings. Serve it over a bed of steamed white rice to soak up the flavorful broth. This recipe requires patience to build the layers of flavor, resulting in a authentic, restaurant-quality dish that tastes like home cooking.Ingredients
Directions
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Prepare the seafood stock by bringing shrimp heads, shells, crab bodies, and/or fish carcasses to a boil with water or chicken stock.
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Lower the heat and simmer the stock for several hours to extract maximum flavor, then strain and discard the solids.
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In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the sliced okra, stirring and scraping frequently until the sliminess reduces, about 15 minutes.
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Add the canned tomatoes, onions, celery, bell peppers, garlic, vinegar, salt, cayenne, white pepper, black pepper, bay leaves, thyme, basil, and oregano to the pot.
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Cook the vegetable and spice mixture over low to medium heat for about 30 minutes, stirring and scraping often.
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Gradually blend the dark roux into the okra and tomato mixture, stirring constantly to ensure it is smooth and fully incorporated.
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Very slowly pour the prepared seafood stock into the mixture, stirring continuously to prevent lumps.
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Simmer the gumbo uncovered for about 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld and the consistency to thicken.
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Add the crab claw meat and shrimp to the pot and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
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Add the oysters and simmer for another 5 minutes, just until the oysters are heated through and have plumped up.
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Stir in the chopped green onions and remove the gumbo from the heat.
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Serve hot over steamed rice, sprinkling file powder over each bowl at the table to taste.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 24
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 48.0kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 1.0g2%
- Saturated Fat 0.0g0%
- Cholesterol 0.0mg0%
- Sodium 8400.0mg350%
- Total Carbohydrate 3.8g2%
- Dietary Fiber 0.0g0%
- Sugars 0.0g
- Protein 4.8g10%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
cajun, gumbo, seafood, shrimp, crab, oysters, okra, roux, stock, spicy, comfort food, stew, louisiana, file powder, simmered
