File Gumbo

Request: Simple Shrimp Gumbo Recipe

Anyone have a simple recipe for shrimp gumbo and also seafood gumbo?

roadgypsygranny from Atmore, AL

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RE: Simple Shrimp Gumbo Recipe

Zatarans, comes in boxes just follow the instructions it's good. I made it from scratch for years and tried it when I was in a hurry. Will never go back to scratch. (09/02/2008)

By BARBARA.

RE: Simple Shrimp Gumbo Recipe

I don't know what you might consider to be "simple," but this gumbo recipe is tasty. I use a combination of meats, and sometimes no shrimp at all because shrimp is too costly for me.... shrimp may be much less expensive depending on where in AL you live! This recipe is adapted off of one I found at allrecipes.com

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or 2 tablespoons dried
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped green or red bell pepper, or combo of both
• 6 cloves minced garlic
• About 4-6 cups of shrimp broth*

  1-2 teaspoons creole seasoning (Tony Chachere's is good), or add to taste after it has finished cooking

• 1 to 2 pounds of meat, including smoked sausage (Andouille is good), cooked diced chicken, or shrimp, or combo of any

*can be made with shrimp bouillon cubes. Using the shrimp bouillon helps it seem more like seafood gumbo, in my opinion), or you can use chicken broth of a combo of both

If I am adding smoked sausage to the gumbo, I add it to the oil and cook until lightly browned, then remove sausage with slotted spoon and set aside, continuing with the recipe as written. Cooking the sausage in the oil imparts a lot of flavor to the gumbo.) In a large heavy pot whisk together oil and flour and cook over medium heat about 15 minutes or until it turns brown, but be careful not to burn. It must come to this color very slowly and evenly. You will have to stir almost constantly. This is called the roux. Add onions, parsley, celery, bell peppers, and garlic and cook about 10 more minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring regularly. Add more broth at this point if the gumbo seems too thick. Add shrimp (and/or chicken) broth and creole seasoning.

Add chopped okra at this point, either fresh or a 10 ounce bag of frozen. Cover pot and simmer 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Add your pre-cooked sausage and/or chicken at this point, as well as raw peeled shrimp and simmer until shrimp is pink. Serve with white rice and a sprinkling of Gumbo File powder over each serving to thicken. (09/02/2008)

By Shawna