Mavis' Famous Gumbo Recipe
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Category: |
Category: |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Roux:
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
2 cups flour
Gumbo:
2 large onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
5 green onions, chopped (white and green separated)
8 cups chicken stock (at least 2 more cups may be needed)
Salt (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
1 fish fillet (prefer catfish), cut into pieces
1 lb. crab fingers
1 lb. crab claws (in shell)
6 stems parsley
5 lbs. uncooked shrimp, peeled
4 to 5 pods of okra, left whole (see Personal Note below)
1 lb. crab claw meat (or back fin)
A few dashes cayenne pepper
3 to 5 cap-fulls vermouth
1 lb. lump crab meat
Finish:
1/2 tsp. gumbo file
Rice (cooked)
Chives (for garnish)
Saltine crackers or French bread as accompaniment
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Directions: |
Directions:FIRST YOU MAKE A ROUX
"And then you curse!" as I often said. I recently clarified that this had to do with an aching back after standing over a stove and stirring the roux with a wooden spoon for 45 minutes ... a small exclamation relieved the pain!
Roux is a mixture of flour and fat to thicken gumbo, soups and sauces. The ratio by weight should be 6 parts flour to 4 parts fat. When you start to cook the roux, grab a glass of wine first (or whatever you prefer), because there is no leaving this process once it starts!
NOW GET DOWN TO BUSINESS!
In a large pot (cast iron is preferred) add the oil and bring to medium-high heat. Add the flour a little at a time, so it doesn't lump, stirring CONSTANTLY. The roux will slowly and gradually darken. If you see the roux getting dark too fast, lower the heat (or momentarily remove from heat if you need to wait for your burner to cool down, but continue to stir). Continue stirring CONSTANTLY for about 45 minutes. You want the finished roux to be dark brown or chocolate color.
MAKING THE GUMBO:
(Note: While the roux needed CONSTANT stirring, the gumbo needs frequent stirring or it will stick to the bottom of the pot.) Once the roux is ready, add the onions, garlic, celery, bell pepper and white part of green onions. Add 8 cups of chicken stock a little at a time stirring as you go. (You may add more chicken stock during the cooking process, stirring until you have the right consistency. The amount of additional stock needed will depend on the amount of seafood you will add ... we like a LOT of seafood in our gumbo!)
Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook the broth for about 30 minutes stirring frequently. Add the fish fillet. I like to use catfish, but any fillet will do. If you don't have fish, you can add a bottle of clam sauce. Continue stirring and check to see if you need to add more broth. Cook the fish for about 30 minutes, don't forget to stir, and throw in a few crab fingers and a few crab claws for flavor.
Add the 6 stems of parsley. Check to see if you need to add more broth. Simmer for another 30 minutes. (Remove parsley when serving.)
Skim the fat off the top as you go and add the 5 pounds of shrimp, the pods of okra, and cook another 30 minutes on warm. If too thick, add more broth.
Toss in the remaining crab claws and the pound of claw meat or back fin (not lump crab meat yet). Add cayenne pepper and vermouth and cook a bit more.
Just before serving, add the green onion tops, the lump crab meat and remaining crab claws to the mix and stir gently so it doesn't break apart. (Don't forget to remove the parsley.)
THE FINISH:
It is now time to stir in the gumbo file. Once you add the file, remove from heat.
Place the shaker of gumbo file on the table so your guests can add more if they like to their individual bowls. Also, have a small bowl of chives at the table for garnish as well as the crackers and bread accompaniment.
Place cooked rice in each bowl, ladle gumbo over the rice and serve it up! |
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Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Gumbo file (pronounced "fee-lay") is made of dried, crushed leaves from the Sassafras tree. According to Cajun tradition, the Sassafras leaves must be harvested during the full moon in August and dried in the shade. After drying, the leaves are crushed fine and stored in containers of dark glass to preserve the bright green color. A small amount, usually a half-teaspoon, is sprinkled into a bowl of steaming hot gumbo and rice to add a piquant flavor to this favorite Cajun dish.
Regarding the okra: Joe and I loved the okra and preferred it chopped and left in the gumbo, but Jan, Nancy and Holly did NOT! So, I left the okra whole so it could easily be removed (their loss!).
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