The gumbo recipe is a delicious merging of ingredients, traditions, and cooking techniques, like the culture of Louisiana itself. The French contributed the roux, a mix of flour and oil that, when heated, blends, creating the base that allows gumbos to attain their exceptional consistency, hue, and texture. "Gumbo" is derived from ki ngombo, the Central Bantu word for okra, the base of many, but not all, gumbos.
Ingredients
1 1/2poundsraw large gulf shrimp, peeled & deveined
One pound andouille sausage, sliced
½cupclam juice
6cupsseafood broth or chicken broth
1/2cupvegetable oil, divided
1/2cupall-purpose flour
1large yellow onion, finely chopped
2medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
1rib celery, finely chopped
2tablespoonsminced garlic cloves
1tablespoonthyme
2bay leaves
2tablespoonsof cajun seasoning
1teaspooncayenne pepper
1teaspoonkosher salt
1teaspoonwhite pepper
Instructions
In a large dutch oven over medium heat add your 1/2 cup vegetable oil.
Cook until hot for about 2-3 minutes.
Add the flour to the oil and stir constantly until there are no lumps, and it turns into a shade of brown. .
Add the onion, bell peppers, celery, and garlic.
Cook on the onion mixture, about 15 minutes, until all vegetables are tender.
Add all seasonings and toss to combine with the onion mixture.
Add the cam juice and broth stock and stir to combine.
Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to low to medium.
Cover the ducth oven and allow to simmer for 45 minutes.
In a large saute pan add 1 tbsp of olive oil and the andouille sausage, cook over medium heat, for 4-5 minutes.
Make sure to toss for an even cooking on all sides.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the cooked sausage to the gumbo and stir to combine.
Cover the dutch oven and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add in the shrimp, then simmer for 5-6 minutes, or until the shrimp is fully cooked and no longer translucent.
Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper.