Seafood Okra Gumbo

My first and only trip to New Orleans was to see my little brother graduate from Tulane in the year 2000. We ate like Kings that week. Dinner at Emeril's, Commander's Palace and Jacquimos. Breakfast of fancy fried donuts called beignets and Nutty Black Coffee at Cafe Dumond. Lunch at the Gumbo Shop and elsewhere.

This recipe comes from the Gumbo Shop in New Orleans. I have tweaked the ingredients and directions a little based on what is available to me in Ojai, Calif. Of course if you can get shrimp with the heads on for the stock and fresh crab, do it!

Serves 6 to 8 hungry people.
Most peeps like a scoop of white rice in there.
Corn bread is almost a must.

2lbs frozen shrimp with shells

Cup of canned or fresh crab meat

(our local market carries this canned crab meat in a black tin that has been pretty consistent)

3 quarts water

2/3 cup + 2 Tbl. cooking oil (peanut oil has proven to be my favorite, but others work)

1 qt. frozen okra, pre sliced (Okra is fresh here in the summer and I almost never want gumbo in the summer...so frozen it is).

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 16oz. can of tomatoes (You can't find 16oz. of tomatoes, the 14oz works fine. Lately I use Muir's Fire Roasted Crushed tomatoes and like that the best).

2 Bay Leaves

2 tsp salt (to taste)

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. ground white pepper

1/4 tsp. cayenne (I get super shy about the red pepper when serving a large group).

1. Peal and De vein the Shrimp. Set aside in Fridge.

2. Rinse shrimp shells (and heads if you have them). In a non-reactive pot, heat a little of your oil and saute the shrimp bodies until pink. Add 3qts of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes to make stock. Strain, discard the bodies and set stock aside.

3. In a non-stick, heat 2Tbl. of oil and add okra. Saute over medium heat until "ropiness" is gone. This takes an unusually long amount of time, but I also like to "overdo" it and blacken the okra bit. About 25 minutes.

4. Place 2/3 cup of oil in a large (8qt.) heavy bottomed pan Dutch Oven like pan. Add the flour and, over medium high heat, make a dark brown roux. This also takes a crazy amount of time and can be done while the okra cooks. It requires constant stirring. Initially little foamy bubbles will appear, this is the flour frying. Then, once the bubbling has stopped and you start to smell popcorn, you must stay totally diligent. The roux will turn a teddy bear brown and make it's way to a chocolate. You will be tempted to stop before it gets too dark cuz if it's burned you have to start over, but play the edge as close as you can. The darker the roux the more nutty and rich the flavor.

5. As soon as you get the color you want, throw in the onion, peppers and celery. Stir and mix for about 4 minutes and then add the garlic. Saute until soft and the sweetness has been released. The Gumbo Shop suggests letting the vegetables stick to the bottom of the pan and then scraping them off allowing the natural sugars to caramelize but I have never experienced this "sticking" they talk about. Maybe if I was using Cast Iron...? About 15 minutes or so.

6. When the vegetables are tender, add the tomatoes, bay leaves, 3 peppers and salt. (I also usually add some thyme). Again, mixing and sauteing for about 10 to 15 minutes.

7. Add the cooked okra and saute for about 10 minutes more.

8. Add stock, but eyeball quantity. I never add it all. Stir and bring to a boil. Lower heat and partially cover and simmer for about an hour, stirring every so often, adding more stock if gumbo seems to thick.

9. Return to a boil and add shrimp and cook till pink and firm. About 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add canned crab.

Gumbo is best prepared ahead of time cuz the flavors get better with time. So early in the day or day before is best. Reheating gently to not overcook the shrimp.