Cajun Baked Roux Recipes

SHRIMP GUMBO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the vegetable oil and flour into a 5 to 6-quart cast iron Dutch oven and whisk together to combine. Place on the middle shelf of the oven, uncovered, and bake for 1 1/2 hours, whisking 2 to 3 times throughout the cooking process.
• While the roux is baking, de-head, peel and devein the shrimp. Place the shrimp in a bowl and set in the refrigerator. Place the heads and shells in a 4-quart saucepan along with the 2 quarts of water, set over high heat and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour or until the liquid has reduced to 1-quart. Remove from the heat and strain the liquid into a container, discarding the solids.
• Once the roux is done, carefully remove it from the oven and set over medium-high heat. Gently add the onions, celery, green peppers and garlic and cook, moving constantly for 7 to 8 minutes or until the onions begin to turn translucent. Add the tomatoes, salt, black pepper, thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaves and stir to combine. Gradually add the shrimp broth while whisking continually. Decrease the heat to low, cover and cook for 35 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the shrimp and sausage and stir to combine. Add the file powder while stirring constantly. Cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes prior to serving. Serve over rice.

OVEN-COOKED DARK ROUX

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• In a heavy iron skillet or Dutch oven, combine the flour and oil; whisk until the mixture is smooth and lump free.
• Place the pan with the roux in the oven for approximately 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring it thoroughly every 20 minutes until the roux is the desired color: light, medium, or dark.

OVEN BAKED JAMBALAYA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt butter in large stock pot. Saute onion, green pepper, celery and garlic until tender, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add tomato paste and cook to brown slightly, stirring constantly. Stir in bay leaves, Creole seasoning blend and Worcestershire sauce. Pour into a large roasting pan. Squeeze tomatoes to break up into pieces, and add to mixture in pan. Stir in juice from tomatoes, chicken stock, ham, sausage, chicken, shrimp and rice. Mix well. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours, stirring once halfway through baking time. Remove bay leaves before serving.

BAKED ROUX

Steps:

• Mix the flour and oil in an iron skillet or heavy oven proof container.
• I use a cast iron dutch oven.
• Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, STIRRING EVERY 15 MINUTES with a whisk.
• The color determines the doneness.
• Cool before storing.
• You must stir every 15 minutes or it will burn.
• In my oven 1 1/2 hours is perfect.
• After removing from the oven, stir again and stir every few minutes until it cools and quits browning.

CAJUN BAKED ROUX

Steps:

• Thoroughly mix together the flour and the oil in a heavy Dutch oven.
• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and place the Dutch oven on the center shelf of the preheated oven.
• Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or a bit longer if you will have a very dark roux, stirring the mixture about every 15 minutes.
• When it is cool, store in jars in the refrigerator for future use.

SHRIMP GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Put the oil and flour into a 5- to 6-quart cast-iron Dutch oven and whisk together to combine. Place on the middle shelf of the oven, uncovered, and bake for 1 1/2 hours, whisking 2 to 3 times throughout the cooking process.
• While the roux is baking, de-head, peel, and devein the shrimp. Place the shrimp in a bowl and set in the refrigerator. Place the heads and shells in a 4-quart saucepan along with the water, set over high heat, and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to low and simmer until the liquid has reduced to 1 quart, about 1 hour. Remove from the heat and strain the liquid into a container, discarding the solids.
• Once the roux is done (it will be a brick red-brown), carefully remove it from the oven and set over medium-high heat. Gently add the onions, celery, green peppers, and garlic, and cook, moving constantly until the onions begin to turn translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, black pepper, thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaves, and stir to combine. Gradually add the shrimp broth while whisking continually. Decrease the heat to low, cover, and cook for 35 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, add the shrimp and sausage, and stir to combine. Add the filé powder while stirring constantly. Cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes prior to serving. Serve over rice.