Gumbo and Rice
My dad discovered gumbo on a trip to New Orleans, and it became my favorite dinner in his repertoire. I believe it was also the start of my hot sauce addiction, since Dad always served it with Tabasco! Gumbo combines uniquely southern flavors and textures, starting with the holy trinity of creole cooking: bell peppers, onions, and celery, and thickened with brown roux and sweet, viscous okra. Traditionally, gumbo features fresh seafood and andouille sausage, but as with most stews, it is meant to be a catch-all for the best of what’s around. You can even make it vegetarian. Serve over long grain rice (especially Carolina Gold!) with a sprinkle of filé powder, and Tabasco, of course! Gumbo can be made in about an hour start to finish, but as with most stews it improves in flavor overnight. This recipe makes a big pot, about 5 quarts. I like to put several quarts in the freezer for instant comfort food at any time.
Ingredients
3 bell peppers
2 medium yellow onions
7 stalks of celery
4–6 cloves of garlic
4 cups chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
4 bay leaves
8 cups water
4 cups okra
12 ounces andoulie sausage
1 pound mixed seafood (crab, shrimp, squid,
mussels, etc.)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/3 cup wheat flour
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Dice onions, bell peppers, and celery and saute
- or steam in the bottom of a large pot (5-8 quarts)
- for ten minutes
- Meanwhile, slice the okra and sausage and set
- aside.
- Add the tomatoes, chicken thighs, garlic, bay
- leaves, and tomato paste and simmer for ten
- minutes
- Combine the flour and oil in a heavy-bottomed
- pan and cook on medium-high heat until well
- browned. Be careful not to burn…stir it the whole
- time while it is browning and don’t take your eye
- off it.
- Add the okra, water, and the roux and simmer
- for ten minutes
- Put your rice on to simmer
- Add the sausage and seafood and simmer for
- ten minutes
- Season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon
- black pepper
