Alex Patout's: Soups and Gumbos

221 Royal Street ~ New Orleans, Louisiana ~ 70115
Phone: (504) 525-7788 Fax: (504) 525-7809

Seafood Gumbo

This is a classic gumbo, and very likely one of the first you'll think of trying. Don't be put off by the length of the recipe...it's really just a series of simple steps, and you can shorten the process considerable by preparing okra in advance when it's in season.

2 tablespoons salt	4 medium onions, chopped fine
2 teaspoons ground red pepper	6 fresh crabs (I use blue crabs)
2 teaspoons ground black pepper	2 pounds medium fresh shrimp, heads off
1 teaspoon ground white pepper	3 medium bell peppers, chopped fine
1 pound fresh okra, sliced 1/4" thick	1-1/2 cups dark roux
1/2 cup vegetable oil	1 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon white vinegar	1 cup finely chopped parsley
2 cups water	3 large tomatoes, peeled, roughly chopped

In a small bowl, mix together the salt and peppers; set aside. Place the okra, oil, vinegar, water, tomatoes, one quarter of the onions, and 2 teaspoons of the salt-pepper mixture in a large (8 - 10 quart) heavy pot. Mix well, place over medium heat, and cover. Cook 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring often. If the mixture begins to stick just stir it, scraping the bottom of the pot well. (You can add a little water if it makes you feel better.)

While the okra is cooking, half fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Add the crabs, cover, and cook for 4 minutes. Drain the crabs and let cool. Peel and devein the shrimp, and place the peels in the empty stockpot. When the crabs have cooled enough to handle, detach the claws, crack both joints, and add them to the stockpot. Remove the crab fingers and add them, too. Add 6 quarts of water, bring to a boil, and let boil slowly for 1 hour. Remove the stock from the heat, strain it, return it to the pot and place over medium heat. Discard the shrimp heads and peels; you can reserve the crab claws and fingers for the finished gumbo if you like. Add the remaining onions, the bell peppers, the cooked okra, the remaining salt-pepper mixture, and the roux. Stir well, bring to a boil, and let simmer for 1 - 1-1/2 hours. The gumbo should not be too thick - it should run freely off a spoon. (If it becomes too thick, add water.)

While the gumbo is cooking, back to the crabs. Scrape any crab fat from the sides of the shells into a bowl and discard the shells. Remove the gills from each side of the crabs and discard. Spoon out the rest of the crab fat and organs from the body cavity and add it to the bowl of crab fat. Break the crab bodies in half and slice them horizontally to expose the meat. Mash the crab fat and organs or puree them briefly in a food processor. Add to the gumbo as it cooks.

Add the crab bodies to the gumbo and continue to simmer over low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour. At this point you can stop. If you are cooking your gumbo for the next day (Cajun folks know that a gumbo tastes better the second and third day), remove from the heat and let cool. If you like, you can remove the crabs from the gumbo, pick out the meat, and return it to the pot, discarding the shells. (For a casual meal, leaving the meat in the shells is fine, and you can also add in the claws and fingers from the stock.) When you are ready to serve, bring the gumbo to a slow simmer over medium heat. Add the shrimp and let cook until they are pink and firm, 4 - 6 minutes. Stir in the green onions and parsley, remove from heat, and serve in large soup bowls over beds of cooked rice.

Serves 6 - 8.

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