HOWARD’S CAJUN SEAFOOD GUMBO Howard Deese

Vegetable base:

½ cup vegetable oil
3 ½ pounds canned tomatoes
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery including leaves
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 TBSP. chopped garlic
2 TBSP. vinegar
4 quarts seafood stock (see note)( you may substitute a good quality canned chicken stock, Howard will be disappointed, but will get over it!)

Seasonings:

1 TBSP. Salt
1 TSP. cayenne
2 TSP. dried basil
2 TSP. fresh ground black pepper
5 bay leaves
2 TSP. dried thyme
2 TSP. dried oregano

Roux:

1 ½ cups canola oil
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

Additions:

6 cups sliced okra
1 pound crab claw meat
3 pounds small to medium shrimp
1 pint oysters
1 cup chopped green onions
File powder to taste

Heat oil in a large heavy pot and add vegetables, vinegar and seasonings. Cook over low to medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring and scraping often. Add stock and simmer for one hour.

To make roux: Heat oil in a heavy bottom fry pan. Slowly add flour, stirring with a wire whisk until mixture is smooth. Cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium, continuing to stir, for 20 minutes or until mixture is a golden brown.

Add the okra to the roux and continue stirring until some of the sliminess is gone. (Howards wording) slowly add stock and vegetables to the roux. Simmer another hour.

Add crab and shrimp and simmer (over low heat) 10 - 15 minutes. Add oysters and simmer about 5 minutes. Add green onions. Serve in bowls around a small mound (scoop) of rice and sprinkle with the file powder (file should not be cooked)

serves 24

Note: If making your own stock, you’ll need about 4 pounds of shells, bones and meat. Use any combination of shrimp heads and shells, crab bodies, carcasses of white fish, ham hocks, chicken backs and necks, etc. Simmer at least one hour.