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Shrimp and Crab Filé Gumbo

Design
  • 8-10

Ingredients:

  • 7 pounds heads-on shrimp, peeled;
  • reserve shells and heads
  • 3 pounds crabmeat
  • 8 bay leaves
  • 2 cups olive oil
  • 11/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 pounds white onion, diced
  • 7 ribs celery with leaves, diced
  • 1/3 cup minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup minced shallots
  • 1 pound red bell peppers, diced
  • 1 pound poblano peppers, diced
  • 1 pound green bell peppers, diced
  • 3 pounds okra, chopped
  • 3 pounds tomatoes, diced
  • 1/4 cup paprika
  • 1/4 cup ground oregano
  • 1/4 cup whole thyme
  • 2 tablespoons ground thyme
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
  • 1/4 cup filé powder
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon peel, minced
  • 3 ounces Worcestershire sauce

1 bottle Turnbull Sauvignon Blanc

Instructions:

Get your biggest pot out of the cupboard and throw in the shrimp shells, heads and 2 bay leaves. Cover with water. Boil for about 15 minutes, then strain off the shells and heads. You should have about a gallon of shrimp stock; if you are over, leave on high, reduce to 1 gallon and reserve.

While the stock boils, heat a cast iron skillet to medium high, pour in 1½ cups olive oil, add flour and start stirring. About the time you can’t stir anymore, the roux will turn a nice chocolate brown for you. Set aside. Don’t splash any on your skin; it sticks and burns like napalm.

Pour the remaining olive oil (½ cup) into a large sauté pan set on medium high, toss in the onions and celery and sauté till they start to brown. Add garlic and shallots and sauté for 2 more minutes; then dump in the peppers, okra and tomatoes and sauté for 3 minutes. Shake in the paprika, oregano, thyme, cayenne and filé, sauté for 3 more minutes, then tumble the lot into the shrimp stock and crank up to high. Toss in the lemon peel and the remaining bay leaves (6) along with shrimp, crabmeat, Worcestershire, black pepper and salt; bring to a boil. The roux should still be hot; start drizzling and stirring it into the stock. Be sure to keep stirring about now to get the mix right. Turn heat to low and let the whole batch simmer for 3 hours or so, stirring occasionally.

Get out some hot sauce and some French bread for sopping, pour up the Turnbull and call in the troops. But to me, gumbo tastes better the next day. So you can let it cool a bit, make room in the fridge and call in the troops tomorrow. Reheat slowly and stir frequently; don’t ruin the batch by burning the bottom.

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