Seafood Gumbo

This recipe is from one of our favorite New Orleans chefs, John Besh. This is for a BIG batch of gumbo (serves 10), so either get ready to party, or cut this recipe by half or more.

• 1 c canola oil
• 1 c flour
• 2 large onions, diced
• 1 lb. spicy smoked sausage (We like Bob Sparrow’s Andouille) sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup sliced fresh okra
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 3 quarts fish stock (available frozen at Monahan’s)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 lb. medium wild gulf shrimp
• 1 c shucked oysters
• 1 c lump crabmeat
• 1 c minced green onion
• salt & pepper
• Monahan’s Cajun Seasoning
• Worcestershire
• Tabasco
• 4–6 cups white rice

Make a roux by heating the oil in a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Whisk the flour into the hot oil. It will immediately begin to sizzle. Reduce the heat to moderate and continue whisking until the roux tkaes on a deep brown color, about 15 minutes. Add the onions, stirring them into the roux with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue stirring until the roux is a rich dark brown, about 10 more minutes.

Add the smoked sausage and stir for a minute before adding the celery, bell peppers, garlic and okra. Increase the heat to moderate and cook, stirring for about 3 minutes. Add the thyme, fish stock and bay leaves. Bring the gumbo to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally and skim off any fat from the surface of the gumbo.

Add the shrimp, oysters, crabmeat, and green onions to the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Season with salt & pepper, Cajun seasoning, Worcestershire and Tabasco. Serve in bowls over rice.