Cookbook:Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients

 * ¾ cup vegetable oil
 * ¾ cup flour
 * 10 oz okra (optional)
 * 2 cups onion, chopped
 * 1 cup celery, chopped
 * 1½ cups bell pepper, chopped
 * 6 cloves garlic, minced
 * 6 cups shrimp stock or water
 * 8 oz clam juice (optional)
 * ½ tsp oregano
 * ½ tsp thyme
 * 2 bay leaves
 * 1½ tsp salt
 * ½–1 tsp cayenne pepper
 * Black pepper to taste
 * 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
 * 1 lb Andouille sausage, cut in pieces
 * 1 lb shrimp
 * ½ pint (or more) oysters
 * ½ lb crawfish (optional)
 * 4 chopped green onions, for topping

Procedure

 * 1) Heat oil in a 6–8 quart pot, then gradually whisk in the flour. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes until very dark reddish brown. Stir constantly, especially towards the end. The best roux is quite dark, but don’t let it burn.
 * 2) Stir the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic into the roux. Cook 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if using okra).
 * 3) Slowly and gradually whisk in the shrimp stock.
 * 4) Add the clam juice, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, salt, cayenne, pepper, and parsley. Simmer 15 minutes.
 * 5) Add the Andouille sausage, and simmer for another 30–40 minutes.
 * 6) Add the shrimp, oysters, and crawfish at the end, and simmer just until cooked through.
 * 7) Top with chopped green onions.

Note, tips and variations

 * You can add cut-up boneless chicken, or substitute chicken for the oysters, if they’re not your thing. If you don’t have Andouille sausage, smoked or Polish sausage will do fine.
 * To make shrimp stock, simmer shrimp shells in about 6½ cups of water for 20 minutes.
 * Dark roux is what makes this gumbo great.
 * Many like to serve this gumbo over rice. It also goes great with a baguette or cornbread.