Gumbo can be an intimidating dish to tackle, but this recipe will set you up for success! Nothing will warm you up on a rainy day like a hot bowl of seafood gumbo topped with some buttery rice. Finish the meal off with some hot beignets for dessert: https://recipesforthesoul.blog/new-orleans-style-beignets-%f0%9f%a5%90/

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter for roux (plus additional 1/4 cup for sautéing vegetables aka the holy trinity)

1 cup flour (divided in half)

1 medium yellow onion, peeled & diced

1 medium green bell pepper, seeds removed & chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, seeds removed & chopped

3 large celery stalks, chopped

1 1/2 pounds large raw shrimp, peeled & deveined on both sides (seasoned with salt & pepper)

4 large jalapeños, diced (I use the seeds a for heat)

2-3 cloves garlic, peeled & minced finely

2 lobster tails (meat from shell)

1 1/2 lbs snow or dungeness crab legs (you can use lump crab meat if you prefer or whole crab legs)

2 cups andouille sausage, sliced into 1/2 thick coins

6 cups chicken stalk

1 large can fire roasted diced tomatoes

3 dry bay leaves

2-3 tsp cayenne pepper

2-3 tsp Cajun seasoning

1 tsp chili powder

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp dried thyme

Salt to taste

Johnny’s seasoning salt to taste

Pepper to taste

1 Tblsp Filet powder

3-4 dashes Tabasco

To Make:

In a skillet, melt 1/4 cup butter on medium low heat

Add diced onion to pan & sauté for 1-2 minutes

Add celery, bell peppers, garlic & jalapeños to the pan & season with salt & pepper (the celery, onion & bell peppers are known as the “holy trinity” when it comes to gumbo)

Continue to sauté until softened

Transfer sautéed vegetable mixture to a bowl (don’t strain as the juices will add more flavor to your gumbo)

In the same skillet, brown your andouille sausage (4-5 minutes) & set aside

Using a Dutch oven or a large pot with a thick base (to prevent roux from burning), heat 1 stick of butter on low heat

Slowly add 1/2 cup flour to butter & stir constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon

Slowly add remaining flour & continue stirring in low heat until a medium brown roux has formed 15-20 minutes (you may want to have a glass of wine handy for this step because you will need to stir constantly to prevent your roux from burning. If you start to see black specks forming, you have burned your roux 😫)

Roux should be thick & nutty in flavor

Add your sautéed vegetables & aromatics to the roux & stir together

Add Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, chili powder, thyme, Johnny’s seasoning salt, regular salt & pepper

Add chicken stalk & whisk together

Add can of fire roasted tomatoes

Add bay leaves

Add in sausage & bring to a boil then lower heat let simmer for 45 minutes – hour to allow your flavors to develop

Now add your Filet powder, Worcestershire sauce & Tobasco sauce.

Taste & add more seasoning if needed (before you add seafood)

Next, add lobster meat & cook for 2 minutes.

Add crab & cook 3 minutes more

Finally add in shrimp & cook 3-4 minutes until pink

Remove bay leaves

Serve with a heaping scoop of white rice & enjoy!