A few weeks ago, in the Taste section of the local newspaper, there sat this glorious recipe. I like gumbo, my husband LOVES it! So I decided to cut it out of the paper and hang on to it. I decided to make it for dinner tonight. And man-oh-man did it turn out GREAT!
What you'll need:
*6 Tbsp. canola oil (you can use vegetable oil too)
*1/4 cup flour (I used a roux, jarred, that I found at the grocery store)
*1 (14.5 oz.) can whole, peeled tomatoes; crushed by hand
*1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
*1 large green bell pepper, chopped
*3 stalks celery, chopped
*1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
*2 Tbsp. chopped, fresh parsley (I used bottled, dry parsley)
*2 Tbsp. garlic salt
*2 tsp. sugar
*1 tsp. black pepper
*1/2 tsp. oregano
*1/2 tsp. gumbo file powder (pronounced fee-lay...I found it by the Zatarain's box dinners)
*1 1/2 quarts water
*1/2 cup long-grain white rice
*6 oz. frozen okra pieces
*1 pound frozen shrimp (I used the little guys...pre-cooked and shelled)
*Smoked sausage
How it's made:
*Heat oil in a 6-quart pot. Add flour (or roux) and stir briskly to remove any lumps. Stir frequently to avoid burning the flour. Cook until mixture thickens and turns light brown - the color of a penny.
*Add whole crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, green pepper, celery, onion, parsley, garlic salt, sugar, black pepper, oregano, gumbo file, and water. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat and cook for 10 minutes.
*Reduce heat to medium-high. Add rice, smoked sausage, and okra; cook for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. The gumbo will thicken.
*Stir in the shrimp and simmer gently for an additional 5 minutes. Serve hot!
There you have it! A scrum-diddly-umptious recipe for some kick-ass gumbo! Enjoy!
