Calaloo Gumbo Recipes

FILE GUMBO

Steps:

• In a 32-quart stockpot, bring the seafood stock to a boil. Add the onions, bell pepper and celery. Add the Creole seasoning, gumbo file, thyme and basil. Bring back to a boil and boil for about 30 minutes.
• In a cast-iron skillet, heat the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, stir in the flour and continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture (roux) is dark brown in color (the color of milk chocolate). Add the roux to the stockpot and stir in until dissolved. Continue to boil for 15 minutes, then add the chicken thighs. Continue to add the remaining proteins every 15 minutes in the following order: smoked sausage, hot link, ham, crab and shrimp. After the shrimp are added, cook for another 15 minutes, then remove from the heat.

SEAFOOD GUMBO

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan over medium heat combine flour with vegetable oil to make roux. Stir continuously to make sure that mixture does not scorch until dark brown color with nutty aroma is achieved. In heavy stock pot, saute onions, celery, peppers and garlic in peanut oil until vegetables are soft approximately 15 minutes. Add tomatoes, spices, sausage and chicken stock. Slowly add 2/3 to 1 cup of roux 1 tablespoon at a time. When proper thickness, add shrimp and cook until opaque. Lower heat and simmer. Next add crawfish, crabmeat and oysters. Let simmer for another half hour.

KALALOO VIRGIN ISLANDS STYLE

Steps:

• Soak meats overnight in cold water to remove excess fat and salt. Cook meat and conchs in 2 qts water till soft.
• When meat is half cooked, add fish and crab and continue cooking till meat is tender.
• Peel eggplant. Add to pot with meat mixture. When soft, remove and chop fine. Return to pot.
• Wash greens, and chop fine or put through grinder.
• Cut up okras and add with greens to meat and eggplant mixture.
• Cook till greens become a dark green color. Continue to cook about 5 minutes longer. Taste, add a little salt if needed, and hot pepper if desired. If mixture is too thick, add 1-2 cups water.

CAJUN GUMBO

Steps:

• Boil chicken pieces in 1 gallon of lightly salted water for approximately 1 hour, or until done. Reserve the chicken broth for the base of the gumbo.
• Wash okra and dry with a paper towel. Cut off the ends of the okra and slice into round pieces. Saute the pieces in a skillet with 1/2-cup of the butter until all of the slime has left the okra. This takes 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. You must stir the okra throughout this process to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Saute the onion, green pepper, and celery in remaining 1/2-cup butter until lightly browned. Place the cooked okra and onion mixture into the chicken broth. Add the basil, thyme, bay leaves, and garlic to the broth. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 minutes.
• Remove skin and bones from chicken, and cut into bite sized pieces, and set aside. Add the chicken, sausage, and ham to the broth at the same time. Return mixture to a boil. Add the shrimp and crabmeat, and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with file, black pepper, and hot pepper, to taste.
• Serve with rice.

GOOD NEW ORLEANS CREOLE GUMBO

Steps:

• Make a roux by whisking the flour and 3/4 cup bacon drippings together in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat to form a smooth mixture. Cook the roux, whisking constantly, until it turns a rich mahogany brown color. This can take 20 to 30 minutes; watch heat carefully and whisk constantly or roux will burn. Remove from heat; continue whisking until mixture stops cooking.
• Place the celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the vegetables are very finely chopped. Stir the vegetables into the roux, and mix in the sausage. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
• Bring the water and beef bouillon cubes to a boil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Stir until the bouillon cubes dissolve, and whisk the roux mixture into the boiling water. Reduce heat to a simmer, and mix in the sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer the soup over low heat for 1 hour; mix in 2 teaspoons of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in a skillet, and cook the okra with vinegar over medium heat for 15 minutes; remove okra with slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo. Mix in crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Just before serving, stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder.