Mumbo Jumbo Gumbo Food

SHRIMP GUMBO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the vegetable oil and flour into a 5 to 6-quart cast iron Dutch oven and whisk together to combine. Place on the middle shelf of the oven, uncovered, and bake for 1 1/2 hours, whisking 2 to 3 times throughout the cooking process.
• While the roux is baking, de-head, peel and devein the shrimp. Place the shrimp in a bowl and set in the refrigerator. Place the heads and shells in a 4-quart saucepan along with the 2 quarts of water, set over high heat and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour or until the liquid has reduced to 1-quart. Remove from the heat and strain the liquid into a container, discarding the solids.
• Once the roux is done, carefully remove it from the oven and set over medium-high heat. Gently add the onions, celery, green peppers and garlic and cook, moving constantly for 7 to 8 minutes or until the onions begin to turn translucent. Add the tomatoes, salt, black pepper, thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaves and stir to combine. Gradually add the shrimp broth while whisking continually. Decrease the heat to low, cover and cook for 35 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the shrimp and sausage and stir to combine. Add the file powder while stirring constantly. Cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes prior to serving. Serve over rice.

GUMBO

Steps:

• For the roasted okra: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Toss the okra with some olive oil, then spread in a baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
• For the blackening spice: Stir together the paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and thyme in a jar.
• For the gumbo: Saute sausage, garlic, celery, onion and peppers in 1/2 cup olive oil in a saucepot until veggies are soft.
• Mix flour with canola oil and remaining 1/2 cup olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat and cook until dark brown, then add to veggie pot. Add 1/4 cup blackening spice (save the remainder for another use). Add stock, chicken, pork, tomatoes, file, oregano, thyme and bay leaf, then add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 45 minutes.
• Mix the okra in with the rest of the gumbo. Serve with rice or cornbread.

GUMBO

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat the oil. Fry the okra, stirring constantly, for 10 to 12 minutes or until most of the slime disappears. Season with Essence. Add the tomatoes, onions, and celery, stirring occasionally, cook for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are wilted. Season with salt and cayenne. Add the bay leaves, thyme, garlic and water. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 30 minutes. Serve with rice and garnish with green onions and Essence.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

MUMBO JUMBO GUMBO

Steps:

• In a large cast iron skillet or heavy sauté pan, add the oil.
• A high flash point oil will reduce the time needed to make the roux.
• Heat the oil on high heat until the pan is smoking hot, carefully whisk in the flour and reduce the heat.
• Stir constantly to prevent scorching.
• Stir the mixture constantly for 30-45 minutes or until a dark brown color and nutty aroma develops.
• Remove from heat for a few minutes before adding the garlic to prevent burning.
• Fry garlic in this roux.
• Add onions and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add celery, bell pepper, black pepper, salt, Tabasco sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.
• Cook vegetables and then add three quarts of fish stock (recipe below).
• Allow the liquid to come to a boil and simmer while preparing the shrimp, crab and oysters/steamers.
• Using 2 cubes Knorr fish bouillon and 1 ½ tsp.
• Old Bay seasoning, precook the shrimp in a little boiling water.
• Drain, cool and peel the shrimp.
• Again, using the fish bouillon and Old Bay, bring the oysters to a boil in water until they just curl.
• Drain and cool.
• If using steamers (clams) instead of oysters, using the same procedure and seasonings, steam the clams, then shuck and clean before adding to the final boil.
• After cleaning the lump crab for any odd shell fragments, add crab the meat and cook for another ten minutes.
• Add parsley and chopped green onion and cook for another 10 minutes.
• Add the precooked shrimp, oysters/clams and cook for 5 minutes to heat through.
• At the very last add the file gumbo, blend well and remove from the heat and allow it to thicken.
• Allow the gumbo to set and when reheating, simmer gently and serve with cooked rice if desired.
• Fish Stock- Cooking down about 2 pounds of fish scraps or a mess of shellfish scraps can make the fish stock.
• In a small stockpot, add just enough water to cover.
• Add salt to taste and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
• Strain the stock before using.

VALERIE'S VERY BEST GUMBO

Steps:

• Warm 1 cup oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven until hot. Add the flour to the pot all at once, whisking until the consistency is uniform. Cook the roux, whisking occasionally, until it is the color of a tarnished penny, about 20 minutes. Do not let it darken any further. Carefully add the celery, bell peppers, onion, chopped scallions and garlic to the pot, working away from you as the hot roux may spatter. Stir with a wooden spoon until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Add enough stock to just cover the vegetables, about 1 quart, and stir to combine. The roux may separate. Add the tomatoes with their juices, andouille and smoked sausages, cayenne, bay leaves, 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper and the remaining stock, about 1 more quart. Partially cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Add the okra and cook, stirring, until the gel dries out slightly, about 3 minutes. Add to the Dutch oven.
• Taste the gumbo for seasoning and adjust as desired. Add the chicken, cook until warmed through and serve, or simmer up to 2 hours more to concentrate the flavors, adding the chicken 20 minutes before serving.
• Sprinkle with the reserved sliced scallions and serve over rice. Serve with hot sauce and file powder if using.