Do you have a recipe for Seafood Gumbo with okra in it that you would not mind sharing with me?!
Answers: Thank you so very much if you do.
SEAFOOD OKRA GUMBO
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 pounds small okra, caps and tips removed, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/2 cup tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 bay leaves
1/2 pound firm flesh fish, such as grouper, snapper,or monkfish, diced (I don't use fish)
Essence, recipe follows
2 quarts fish stock
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound peeled crawfish tails
1/2 pound fresh lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
File powder, to taste
1/2 cup chopped green onions, green part only
Dash hot sauce
4 cups cooked long-grain white rice, warm
In a large stock pot, over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the okra. Season the okra with salt and cayenne. Fry the okra, stirring constantly, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until most of the slime disappears. Add the onions, celery, peppers, and tomatoes. Season with salt and cayenne. Continue cooking, stirring often for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the okra and other vegetables are soft and the slime has completely disappeared.
Stir in the garlic and bay leaves. Season the diced fish with Essence. Add the fish to vegetables and cook for 2 minutes. Add the fish stock. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Season the shrimp and crawfish with Essence. Add the seasoned seafood and crabmeat to the pan. Add the file and continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the green onions and hot sauce. Remove the bay leaves and serve over the rice.
Essence ( Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
nfd?
Seafood Gumbo New Orleans Style
Roux (see recipe below)
1 pound okra, sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined*
1 jar oysters (check for shells)
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 tablespoon chopped green bell pepper
1 can (10 1/2 ounces ) tomatoes
2 sprigs parsley, chopped
1 bay leaf (remove before serving)
2 teaspoons Cavender's Greek Seasoning**
2 quarts water or fish stock
1 bunch green onion, chopped
1/2 pound crabmeat or 1 dozen crabs***
Salt and pepper
Hot cooked long-grain white rice
Crackers
1 teaspoon File, optional****
* In New Orleans they sell what are called "gumbo shrimp." They are not the big shrimp that you use in a "stand alone" shrimp dish. They are used more for flavor than texture. I guess you could put some of the shrimp in early for the simmering and some later for the presentation. Some people in New Orleans even boil the shells and heads to get that serious shrimp flavor. I don't care for it myself; it has that "low tide" taste!
** If you can't find Cavender's seasoning, you can substitute another brand of seasoning salt - but Cavender's is the best.
*** If using whole crabs, scald live hard-shelled crabs and clean, removing the spongy substance and the "sand bag" on the under part. Break off and crack the claws and cut the body in half.
**** Gumbo is also thickened with File (FEE-lay) powder, made from ground dried leaves of the sassafras tree. File powder must be stirred into gumbo after it's removed from the heat because undue cooking makes the powder tough and stringy.
Start making the Roux. In a large frying pan:, fry okra in 2 tablespoons shortening approximately 30 to 40 minutes or until it ceases to "rope" (slimy strings connecting the okra); remove from heat and set aside. NOTE: Take your time and don't burn it. It's worth the trouble.
In a Gumbo Pot or a large cast-iron Dutch Oven over medium-high heat, melt the butter and fry the onions and celery about 5 minutes or until soft. Add the shrimp, oysters, garlic, and bell pepper; simmer 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, parsley, bay leaf, Cavender's Seasoning, water or fish stock, green onion, fried okra, prepared Roux, and crabmeat or crabs. Salt and pepper to taste. Let gumbo simmer for approximately 30 minutes.
Serve with hot rice, crackers, and file on the side.
Makes 6 servings.
Roux:
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
In a heavy iron skillet over medium heat, heat shortening until hot; add flour gradually, stirring or whisking to combine. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, about 45 to 60 minutes or until roux is dark brown and has a nutlike odor (it will be very thick and pasty). NOTE: This process takes some time, depending on how high the heat is. The slower, the better, but be ready to remove skillet from heat and stir more rapidly if the roux appears to be burning. Set aside.
here is a really useful link:
http://www.gumbopages.com/food/soups/ind...
The recipes on this site are excellent. I have cooked them myself and they are authentic.
SEAFOOD GUMBO
1 okra
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 (1 lb. 3 oz.) can tomatoes, crushed, if you prefer
1 bay leaf, crushed
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
1/4 tsp. chopped thyme
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can white crab meat
3/4 lb. shrimp, shelled, deveined
3/4 lb. sea scallops
2 sole fillets, cut into bite-size pieces
8 c. boiling water
1 tsp. salt
3 c. boiled white rice
Slice okra into 1/2 inch pieces, melt butter in kettle, blend in flour, let bubble for 60 seconds while stirring to blend well. Add okra, onion, tomatoes with juice. Next, add spices and seafood, simmer slowly 10 minutes, stirring often. Add water and salt, simmer, covered for 1 hour.
Uncover and simmer until consistency of thick soup, place rice in bowls and top with gumbo.