Seafood Gumbo

Makes 4 servings. 1 hour 30 minute cook time.

Go crazy using your favourite seafood! (or whatever's on sale, this is delicious with anything)

ingredients

Spice Mix

  • ½ tbsp dried oregano

  • ½ tbsp dried thyme

  • ½ tsp powdered bay leaf (or just add 2 bay leaves when cooking)

  • ¼ tsp ground cayenne (adjust for more/less spicy)

  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (adjust for more/less spicy)

  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika

  • 1 tsp salt, freshly cracked

  • 1 tsp black pepper, freshly cracked


Gumbo

  • 4 tbsp butter

  • ¼ cup vegetable oil

  • ½ cup all purpose flour

  • 4 garlic cloves, grated or minced

  • 1 onion, small, finely chopped

  • ½ red bell pepper, finely choppedcup green peas (thawed if using frozen)

  • ½ cup grape tomatoes, halved

  • ½ cup dried shrimp (optional)

  • 1 tbsp tomato paste (or ½ tbsp tomato powder)

  • 5 cups chicken broth

  • 1 cup okra, sliced into round

  • 2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

  • 1-2 lbs of seafood of your choice (shrimp, scallops, crab, lobster, whatever, go crazy!)

  • 2 cups cooked rice (jasmine is great, but whatever you have will work)

preparation

  1. Combine all spice mix ingredients using a mortar and pestle.

  2. In a heavy pot, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. When butter begins to bubble, add flour and stir using a heat-proof silicone spatula (or wooden spoon) until a smooth paste has formed (a roux).

  3. Cook the roux while stirring continuously until it has a chocolate colour (somewhere between a milk and dark chocolate), approximately 10-13 minutes. Be careful to continuously stir and scrape bottom and sides to ensure it doesn't burn! Lower the heat as needed.

  4. Immediately add the garlic, onion, bell pepper and tomatoes and stir well. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to stick to the pan, 5-10 minutes.

  5. Add the tomato paste, dried shrimp (if using) and spice mix (also add the bay leaves if not using powdered in the spice mix) and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

  6. While whisking, slowly add the stock and whisk until the stock is completely blended with the roux and vegetable mixture.

  7. Add the okra, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce and let simmer for 50 minutes over very low heat, stirring occasionally with a silicone or wooden spoon.

  8. Add your chosen seafood and simmer until cooked through (usually about 10 minutes but may change based on your seafood choice).

  9. Serve over rice!

This recipe is adapted from Chef JJ Johnson's Seafood Gumbo recipe from New York Times Cooking.