Seafood Gumbo Con Sabor!

This was my second, but most favorite dish to pass on "Super Bowl Sunday", seafood gumbo! As a teenager, I made friends with two girls from Louisiana, and I fell in love with their Cajun accents. This recipe was also adapted from Chef John Besh, who is from Louisiana. My friend Bill mentioned how he loved seafood gumbo, and that was all I had to hear....seafood gumbo was on!!! Does anyone remember the famous Cajun chef on TV back in the 80's, Justin Wilson?? When I first tasted this gumbo, all I could think of was his famous line, "I guarantee", but in that Cajun accent...lol!! One never stops learning...I love it! Thank goodness for all the great cooks and chefs, especially the ones that came before us...what an inspiration they continue to be.

Yields up to 8 servings

Ingredients:

½ cup canola oil
½ cup flour
1 medium sweet onion, diced
8 ounces spicy smoked sausage, sliced into ½-inch pieces
1 stalk celery, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small poblano pepper, diced
1 serrano pepper, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small chayote, peeled, cored, and diced
1½ cups fennel, thinly sliced
3 cups shrimp stock
6 cups chicken broth
Juice of 1 lime
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
12 ounces jumbo shrimp
10 ounces bay scallops
8 ounces lump crab meat
6 ounces of spicy andouille sausage or spicy Spanish chorizo, diced
1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole spice mix
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco or Cholula hot sauce, to taste
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
¼ cup green onions, sliced thin
Lime wedges
4 to 6 cups cooked rice

Directions:

1. Peel and clean the shrimp. Chill the cleaned shrimp until ready to use. Transfer the shells to a medium sauce pan, add 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve the shrimp stock, dispose of shells.

2. Make a roux by heating the oil in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium/high heat. Whisk the flour into the hot oil. It will sizzle, reduce the heat to medium and continue whisking until the roux is a deep brown color, about 15 minutes. Add the onions, stirring them into the roux with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to low and continue stirring until the roux is a rich dark brown, about 10 minutes.

3. Add the smoked sausage and cook for 1 minute. Add the celery, peppers, garlic, chayote, and fennel. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add the thyme, bay leaves, shrimp stock, and chicken broth. Bring the gumbo to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium/low and simmer for 45 minutes. Skim off the fat from the surface of the gumbo.

4. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add spices, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco. Add the shrimp, scallops, crab meat, andouille sausage (or Spanish chorizo), and green onions to the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Serve over rice. Yields up to 8 servings. Garnish with cilantro and more lime wedges.

Other recipes by Sonia:

Mini Gorditas Stuffed with Chorizo and Cheese
Tilapia In a Green Chile Sauce With Coconut Lime Rice
Chile Relleno with Serrano Shrimp
Tequila Lime Shrimp
Steak Ranchero and Potato Tacos
Pumpkin Empanadas
Annatto-Citrus Marinated Chicken
Kickin' Sloppy Joe & Cheddar Pie
Chile Garlic Shrimp Kabobs
Avocado Fries
Chicken Enchilada Soup with Chayotes
Chocoflan / Pastel Imposible

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