Louisiana Seafood Gumbo For The Soul

Seafood Gumbo is a tradition in our family, we serve it during the fourth of July, and the Christmas holidays.. There are as many Gumbo recipes as there are people who create them, a person may find that some of the basics are similar but adding the ingredients is the cook's delight. Delicious and flavorful it will certainly tantalize your tastebuds.

 

Originating in Louisiana in the early 1800's , Gumbo is a soup or stew which has blended African, French, Spanish and Indian cultural origins. .The word "Gumbo" is an African term meaning 'Okra'. Creating your own style of Gumbo is all about the cook, there isn't any recipe that is the same, you can add and remove any part of the ingredient with the exception of the Roux pronounced (Roo) which is the base for the Gumbo, to make it your own.

Roux is made from fat which could be bacon drippings, butter, oil, shortening or lard. Our preference at home is bacon drippings, it tends to give it a much better flavor then using the other ingredients but it again it is only personal choice.

Combine your ingredient with an equal amount of flour; 1/2 cup of each ingredient would be desirable if necessary you can make more. Melt your ingredients in a cast iron or Teflon skillet over very low heat. Add onion, garlic, etc. whatever you desire to create your own Roux. Begin to add the flour slowly stirring continually until the Roux turns brown. (Apr. 20-30 minutes.) Remove from heat.

Using a Dutch Oven, Gumbo Pot or Large Pot , pour the Roux into the pot and begin to add the following ingredients:

2-4 qt of water or if you prefer chicken stock or seafood stock

2 tbsp. of butter

2 bay leaves

2 tsp. seasoned salt

4tsps. pepper

1 cup chopped celery

2 fresh garlic clove ( finely chopped)

1 large can of stewed tomatoes

2 onion (chopped)

1 bunch of fresh green onions (chopped)

2lbs. of fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

2lbs. of fresh lobster meat

2lbs of fresh oysters * remember to remove the oysters from the shell

2lbs of fresh crab meat

1lb of prawns

1 cup of fresh cooked chicken

Add water, butter, seasoned salt, pepper, onions, garlic, celery and bay leaves first , let simmer for approximately 5 minutes. Add all of the other ingredients including roux and let simmer for 30-45 minutes.

Serve with rice and oyster crackers makes 8-10 servings