All right, I've completely exhausted my command of the Cajun language, and probably already insulted someone, so let's get down to it.
I've always liked Cajun and Creole cooking, and a favorite around the house is gumbo. The definition of gumbo (one of them) is "a spicy chicken or seafood soup thickened typically with okra or rice." Mine is a little different.
I'm not really a fan of okra. Yeah, I know, a southerner that doesn't like okra. Get over it. I've never really gotten a taste for it. And to me, rice is a side dish, not a thickener. So I have a little different spin. I just make the roux stronger.
The recipe below makes three servings, for more, just add more shrimp and broth and cook a little longer. You can add okra if you want, but do it about 30 minutes before the shrimp, or it will over thicken.
Gumbo
1/3 C shortening
1/3 C flour
1 C diced onion
2 C diced celery
1 C diced bell pepper
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 t thyme
4 cloves diced garlic
1/4 cup chopped parsley or 2 T dried
3 bay leaves
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 can chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water (more if the broth is too thick)
pepper to taste
1 lb raw shrimp (I use the tail off/deveined frozen ones. Thaw before adding)
1 lb crab meat (optional)
Make the roux. Heat the shortening in a large cast iron dutch oven over medium heat. When really hot, add 1/2 of the flour and stir constantly until it turns brown. Add the other 1/2 of the flour and keep stirring until it's about the color of a beer bottle (keep a Shiner nearby for comparison and the occasional sip. Or if you don't like beer, call me. I'll handle it.) If you start to see black specks in the roux, it's burned. Throw it out and start again. Keep stirring!
Add the chopped vegetables and stir. Add the seasonings, water and broth. Bring to a boil. Keep an eye on it or it will boil over. Turn the heat down and let simmer, uncovered for at least three hours, or all day.
Here's the side note: If you use fresh shrimp, peel them and boil the shells to make a broth. Use that in place of some of the water.
About thirty minutes before serving add the shrimp. Serve over cooked rice.
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