How to Make Rene's Shrimp Gumbo

This is a basic shrimp gumbo recipe made from ingredients commonly sold in almost any grocery supermarket. The fundamentals of a Cajun gumbo are a properly browned roux (flour and oil slowly cooked to a dark tan), the Cajun "trinity" (onion, celery, bell pepper), and a variety or mixture of seafood (shrimp, crawfish, oysters, crabmeat, or catfish). The other important ingredients are garlic powder, okra and tomatoes, and salt. The basic spice is gumbo file', but you can add other spices according to your taste. You will also need to cook the rice separately, and serve the gumbo over the rice.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 4 quart stainless steel pot to cook gumbo
• 2 quart pot to cook rice
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup safflower oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 celery heart chopped
• 1 bell pepper chopped
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1 can of okra
• 1/2 cup parsley
• 1 tablespoon of gumbo file'
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 cup cooking wine or sherry
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 6 cups of water
• 2 lbs raw shrimp, peeled

1. Cook rice: coat raw rice with oil or butter, add water (2 cups water: 1 cup of rice), bring to quick boil, reduce heat to medium, simmer until water evaporates

2. Cook roux: mix flour and oil over medium heat, constantly stirring, cook to golden brown, turn off heat quickly before mixture burns.

3. Add seafood

4. Add bell peppers, onion, celery, tomatoes, and okra

5. Add parsley, gumbo file', spices, garlic powder, salt, cayenne pepper, cooking wine, Worcestershire sauce, water

6. Bring to quick boil, then reduce heat to medium, and simmer 20 minutes

7. Turn off heat, and let cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve over rice