Gumbo is one of those foods that make me thankful for the ingenuity of the homemakers of yore who found a way to make home economics delicious by turning kitchen scraps into a delicious savory stew. Gumbo — a spicy creole stew including whatever seafood, poultry, or game you have on hand and often a helping of andouille, served over rice — is a staple in Louisiana.
Shrimp and Andouille Gumbo
I first learned to cook it at a house party in Nachitoches, LA while touring the southland with a theatre troupe. Since then, I’ve made it countless times. It’s a crowd pleaser, a great smell and taste to chase away winter storms, and a food made for sharing. So, today on Mardi Gras, a day that makes me long for so many things from the crescent city, I’m sharing some gumbo with you. Laissez les bon temps rouler!
Roux
Do not fear the roux! A roux is simply fat and flour stirred together and cooked slowly until the flour achieves the desired shade of brown. I've seen roux described as blonde, caramel, nut brown, rusty…for gumbo, I make a chocolate roux. When its done it looks like melted chocolate and has a deep earthy flavor that forms the back bone of the stew. In a large pot I stir together equal parts flour and fat over low heat. I had some leftover rendered bacon grease and chicken fat so I used those. Most recipes call for vegetable oil. I’ve also used butter. I kept stirring slowly while it changed from a golden paste, into something that looked like peanut butter, into a deep caramel, and finally until it looked like a pot of melted chocolate chips. In “Who’s Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make a Roux?” Marcella Bienvenu describes the duration of making a roux as “the time it takes to drink two beers.” Mine took 25 minutes.
When the roux reached the desired color, I added the minced vegetables, the garlic, and the cajun seasoning. If you are using andouille, the sausage has a decent kick, so you may want to skip the added cayenne. I cooked the mixture for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables have softened and added fish broth. (Chicken or vegetable broth will also work fine.) Once the broth heated through, I gave it a taste to adjust the seasoning.
When it came to a boil, I added the andouille and then the shrimp. While it simmered, I cooked two dry cups of rice. You can use any combination of chicken, seafood, and andouille you want here. Chicken thighs work especially well.
I Put a cup of cooked rice in a bowl and ladled the spicy goodness atop it. Heaven!
GUMBO
- 1/2 c. flour
- 1/2 c. oil
- 4 large cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 large white onion, finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 4 large stalks celery, finely chopped
- 4 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 quart fish or chicken broth
- 1 pound shrimp (or fish, chicken or oysters)
- 1 pound andouille, sliced
- 2 tsp. cajun seasoning*
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne
- salt to taste
- sliced green onions for garnish
In a large pot over low heat, cook the flour and oil into a dark roux, stirring constantly. Add in the minced vegetables, garlic, and seasoning. Sauté for ten minutes or until vegetables soften. add in the broth and bring to a simmer. Check seasoning. Add in your meats and cook until meat is cooked through. Chicken will take longer than seafood. Shrimp or oysters can be added at the very end. Serve over rice garnished with sliced green onions. Excellent with a cold beer.
*to make your own cajun seasoning combine
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon onion powder