Directions: |
Directions:Roux: 2/3 cup flour and 3/4 cup salad oil or lard. Mix flour and oil in heavy skillet until thoroughly mixed before turning heat on under skillet. After mixed, turn heat on medium-low, stirring constantly. Stir all over bottom of skillet to be sure that no flour particles stick to bottom of skillet. Stirring, the roux browns slowly. Don't cook roux to fast, because as it reaches the done point, it will be too hot and burn. When roux is a rich dark brown (about 2 beers), cut off heat immediately, continuing to stir. Add water to lower the temperature so roux will stop browning. A cup of chopped onions can also be used to lower temperature. Transfer roux to large pot and add remaining vegetables and seasonings, except file'. Peel shrimp, devein, save shells. Cut in half. Boil shrimp shells in 3 qts water. Chop onion, garlic, green pepper and add to roux. Slowly add 3 quarts of hot shrimp shell water, stirring while pouring. Add salt and pepper to taste, season well. Add can of claw crabmeat and several whole crabs and cook about 1 hour. Add one or more pounds of raw peeled shrimp and liquid from pint of oysters and cook until shrimp are done. About 15 minutes before serving, add oysters. Add chopped parsley and green onions about 30 minutes before serving. Serve over rice. Note: File' is a thickening agent. It is put in just minutes before serving. It is added after the gumbo is removed from the heat. |
This recipe for Harry's Seafood Gumbo File' is from