Payette’s Seafood Gumbo
- 1 small bunch green onions, chopped
- 11⁄2 cups chopped onions
- 1 medium green or red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium celery stalk, chopped
- 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 pounds uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 pound crabmeat, picked clean
- 1⁄2 cup chopped parsley
- Gumbo filé, optional
Instructions:
To cool the mixture quickly, place the gumbo in a large roasting pan or two large pans on wire racks. When cooled, place in gallon- sized plastic storage bags and refrigerate overnight.
- Combine the onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic in a medium bowl; mix well.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Gradually add the flour, stirring constantly. Cook for 15 to 17 minutes until the flour mixture is a rich dark brown color, stirring constantly. Be careful not to burn. Add half of the onion mixture and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the remaining onion mixture and cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat; gradually add 4 cups water, 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly until the flour dissolves. Add another 4 cups water. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce the heat and add the bay leaves, salt, black pepper, cayenne, oregano, and thyme. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Add the shrimp and crab and cook until the shrimp is opaque in the center, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaves, and add the parsley and gumbo filé, if using. Flavors improve greatly if the gumbo is refrigerated overnight.