Seafood Gumbo with Shrimp, Crab & Andouille

By Culiora

A deeply savoury Louisiana classic built on a dark mahogany roux, the aromatic holy trinity, and spicy andouille sausage. Simmered with rich seafood stock, plump raw shrimp, sweet lump crabmeat, and sliced okra, it yields a complex, velvety broth best spooned over fluffy white rice.

• Servings: 6
• Prep time: 30 min
• Cook time: 80 min
• Total time: 110 min

Ingredients

• 350 g andouille sausage, sliced into 1 cm rounds
• 120 ml vegetable oil or lard
• 100 g all-purpose flour
• 1 pcs large yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 pcs celery stalks, finely diced
• 1 pcs green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced
• 4 pcs garlic cloves, minced
• 1.5 l seafood stock or shrimp shell broth, warmed
• 200 g fresh or frozen sliced okra
• 2 pcs bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 450 g raw large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails left on
• 225 g lump crabmeat, picked over for shell fragments
• 3 pcs scallions, thinly sliced
• 400 g cooked long-grain white rice, warm

Instructions

1. Place a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven (at least 5 litres) over medium heat. Add the sliced andouille sausage and brown until crisp on both sides and fat has rendered, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the sausage with a slotted spoon to a plate, leaving the drippings in the pot.
2. Add the vegetable oil to the pot and heat over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in the flour, whisking continuously to form a smooth paste. Cook slowly, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom and corners to prevent scorching. Continue cooking over medium-low heat until the roux turns the colour of melted dark chocolate or a shiny penny, about 25 to 35 minutes. If black specks appear, the roux is burnt and must be restarted.
3. Immediately toss the diced onion, celery, and green bell pepper into the dark roux. The vegetables will sizzle vigorously and halt the browning process. Cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are softened and translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Gradually pour in the warm seafood stock, roughly 250 ml at a time, whisking vigorously after each addition to smoothly incorporate the roux and prevent lumps. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil over medium heat.
5. Return the browned sausage to the pot, then stir in the sliced okra, bay leaves, dried thyme, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, fine sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and let simmer gently for 35 to 40 minutes, skimming any excess oil from the surface occasionally.
6. Gently fold in the raw peeled shrimp and lump crabmeat. Simmer gently over medium-low heat without boiling vigorously, uncovered, until the shrimp turn pink and are just cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and discard the bay leaves. Taste the broth and adjust salt or cayenne pepper if needed.
7. Ladle the hot gumbo into deep bowls, top each serving with a mound of warm white rice, and scatter over the sliced scallions before serving immediately.