Giddy's Cajun Gumbo
INGREDIENTS
- Cooking Time: 6 hours
- Servings: 6-8
- Preparation Time: 1 hour
- STOCK INGREDIENTS
- **IYHI=If you have it. Don't fret if you don't have every ingredient, some things are not available when God places you above the Mason Dixon line.
- -Shells from 2 lbs of shrimp
- -4 carrots
- -4 onions, quartered
- -1/2 bunch celery
- -2 bay leaves
- -3 cloves garlic
- -2 sprigs fresh parsley or dried
- -10 whole cloves
- -1 Tbls. ground black pepper
- -1 Tbls. dried basil
- -2 tsps. dried thyme
- -1 Whole chicken, cut up (you don't have to use a whole chicken, but the bones and dark meat add tons of flavor)
- GUMBO INGREDIENTS
- -1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- -1/2 teaspoon white pepper (IYHI)
- -1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- -1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- -1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- -1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- -1 bay leaf, crushed
- -1 Tbls. salt
- -3/4 cup vegetable oil
- -1/2 bunch celery, chopped
- -2 cups chopped onions
- -2 cups chopped green bell peppers
- -1 Tbls. minced garlic
- -1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
- -1/2 bottle Duck Butter Hot Pepper Sauce (IYHI)
- If you're good I'll get you some for Christmas, if I've died here is the link to buy your own...
- http://duckbutterhotsauce.com/items/duck-butter-hot-pepper-sauce/list.htm
- -1 lb sliced okra (if frozen thawed)
- -1 lb andouille sausage, sliced
- -Shredded chicken from whole chicken
- -1 cup crabmeat (if you want)
- -1 lb cooked and peeled crawfish tail (if you want)
- -2 lbs peeled & deveined shrimp (I like jumbo shrimp cuz I'm such a show off. I want people to say "Da'yam! Look at da size a dem shrimps! Das what I'm talkin'about! She ain't playin'")
- -Louisiana Hot Sauce
- -creole seasoning
- -file’ (IYHI)
- -2 cups uncooked rice
- -1/2 stick of butter & salt
- -Hot French Bread & Butter
- Corn starch**if you prefer it thicker
DIRECTIONS
- HOW TO MAKE THE STOCK
- -Put all the shrimp shells on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until they are pink and feel dry.
- -Put everything into an 8-quart pot and bring to a boil. Add your shrimp shells to the pot as soon as they're done.
- - When your chicken is done and cooled, pull it off the bones and stick it in the fridge, but stick the bones back in the stock.
- -Cover & Simmer for 5 hours if you have the time. I like to cook mine all day and let it sit in the fridge over night, but you don't have to.
- -Strain everything. I squeeze all the liquid from the vegetables too because it adds so much flavor, but you don't have to) I squeezed by hand or you can use a cheese cloth or a food mill or mash them with a spoon then discard all solids. This step will make the difference in how rich your stock is.
- 1. Combine the cayenne, white and black peppers, paprika, thyme, oregano, bay leaf and salt in small bowl.
- 2. In a large heavy pot or a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat until hot.
- 3. Add the holy trinity (onions, celery, and green bell peppers) and cook on high until the onions turn clear.
- 4. Turn heat down to medium low.
- 5. Add garlic, **file powder, and the pepper-herb mixture.
- 6. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- 7. Add tomato sauce and stock, bring to a boil.
- 8. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes covered, stirring occasionally.
- 9. Add okra and sausage and simmer for 30 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
- (note: if it seems too watery I add a tablespoon or two of corn starch to a cup of cold water, stir it well and add that to your boiling gumbo to get it to a consistency that you like. I like the liquid to cling to the spoon when you turn it sideways. Add a little at a time stirring the whole time. Your gumbo should be a rich dark brown!
- 10. When all that comes together, turn off the heat and add all the shredded chicken & seafood. Cover and let that stand for 10 minutes or until the shrimp in done.
- RICE
- I usually make 4 cups of cooked rice with the reserved stock I made for the gumbo. (If you want less just make 1 cup rice to 2 cups stock)
- If you had enough stock to reserve for your rice use it in place of water. If you don't here are a couple of options to add flavor to your rice.
- STOCK RICE
- -Make your rice according to packages directions but use CHICKEN or SEAFOOD STOCK instead of water and add a HEAPING SPOONFUL OF BUTTER. (You can always use half stock, half water.)
- CRAB BOIL RICE
- -Boil 5 cups water with one Zatarains Crab Boil Seasoning Bag for about 10 minutes, covered. Measure 4 cups and pour out the rest. (I use 5 cups because some evaporates.) in a pot with a tight fitting lid, bring to a boil, add salt and butter and rice. Cook for 20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
- SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- If I'm feeling fancy, I pack the rice in a teacup and put it in the bowl then ladle the gumbo around it. Daddy loves it when I'm fancy.
- I always serve this with hot crunchy French bread with lots of butter and a bottle of Louisiana Hot Sauce within arms reach.
RECIPE BACKSTORY
As a true southern woman, I identify with all southern cuisines! Tex-Mex to Coonass, I claim it all. Cajun is my favorite! This is my Gumbo recipe that I have been perfecting for years. True Cajuns would say that it isn't a gumbo if it doesn't start with a roux, I say "pfffffsssshh, taste it!"