Seafood Gumbo Okra Tomatoes (Printer-friendly)
Hearty Creole stew with shrimp, crab, fish, okra, and tomatoes simmered in a rich, spiced broth.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 14 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 12 oz lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
03 - 12 oz firm white fish such as snapper or cod, cut into bite-size pieces
→ Vegetables
04 - 9 oz fresh okra, sliced into ½ inch rounds
05 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
08 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
09 - 14 oz canned diced tomatoes, drained
10 - 3 spring onions, sliced for garnish
11 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley for garnish
→ Roux
12 - ¼ cup vegetable oil
13 - ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
→ Liquids
14 - 4 cups seafood or fish stock
15 - ¾ cup dry white wine
16 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
17 - 1 tsp hot sauce optional
→ Spices & Seasonings
18 - 2 tsp smoked paprika
19 - 1 tsp dried thyme
20 - 1 tsp dried oregano
21 - 2 bay leaves
22 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper adjust to taste
23 - 1 tsp salt
24 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ To Serve
25 - Steamed white rice
# How to Make It:
01 - In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux turns a deep golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Do not let it burn.
02 - Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic to the roux. Sauté until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
03 - Stir in the okra and cook for 5 minutes, until it begins to soften and release its juices.
04 - Add the diced tomatoes, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to combine all flavors.
05 - Pour in the seafood stock and white wine. Bring to a gentle simmer, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce if using. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Add the fish pieces and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the shrimp and crab, and simmer just until the shrimp turn pink and the seafood is cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed.
07 - Remove bay leaves and discard. Serve hot over steamed white rice, garnished with spring onions and parsley.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The house fills with such incredible aromas that people will drift into the kitchen asking whats cooking
- That moment when the roux finally turns deep copper feels like unlocking some secret cooking level
- Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day when all those spices have had time to really settle in
02 -
- Burning the roux happens faster than you think, once it smells acrid or scorched you have to start completely over
- Adding seafood too early makes it tough and rubbery, it only needs those last few minutes in the hot broth
- The gumbo will continue thickening as it cools, so do not panic if it looks slightly thinner than you want right at the end
03 -
- Taste your stock before adding salt, seafood stocks can vary wildly in sodium content
- Make the gumbo a day ahead if you can, the flavors develop so much more overnight