Okra Gumbo Recipes

SHRIMP AND OKRA GUMBO

Steps:

• Season the shrimp with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste and set aside. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the okra and saute for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste, tomato, onion, garlic, celery and green bell pepper and saute for 15 more minutes.
• Add the water and season to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the shrimp and simmer for 20 more minutes. Finally, add the green onion to the soup and stir thoroughly.

OKRA AND TOMATOES (A.K.A. OKRA GUMBO)

Steps:

• Fry bacon in a large skillet that can be covered, until crisp. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Saute onion in bacon drippings until tender. Add okra and tomatoes, stir to blend. Cover, reduce to low heat. Cook for about an hour, or until okra is tender, stirring occasionally. Do not stir too much or too briskly, because the okra will fall apart. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• **Note: Nanny diced the bacon and fried it and the onion together. My family doesn't like the bacon cooked into it because the bacon becomes soft. If you do it my way, you can sprinkle the bacon on right before serving.

OKRA GUMBO

Steps:

• Saute' onion and peppers in margarine until tender.
• Add remaining ingredients including cooked chicken.
• Cook on low for about 2 hours to blend flavors.
• This can be served over steamed rice.

CHICKEN AND OKRA GUMBO

Steps:

• Place chicken and water in a large kettle. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until chicken is tender. , Remove chicken; reserve broth. Set chicken aside until cool enough to handle. Remove chicken from bones; discard bones and cut into meat into cubes; set aside. , In a soup kettle, combine oil or drippings and flour until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir about 5 minutes more or until mixture is reddish-brown (the color of a penny). Turn the heat to high. Stir in 2 cups reserved broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. , Add the onions, celery, green pepper and garlic; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, okra, bay leaves, basil, salt, pepper and pepper sauce. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add chicken; heat through., Discard bay leaves. Garnish with green onions and parsley. Serve with rice.

SEAFOOD OKRA GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot over high heat, add onions, celery and bell peppers, and saute 1 minute. Season with salt and 4 turns of pepper and saute 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and shallots, and saute, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes more.
• Stir in stock, then add fish, Worcestershire, hot sauce, bay leaves, basil, oregano and thyme, and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium.
• Stir in shrimp, okra and Creole seasoning, and simmer 10 minutes. Fold in oysters and crabmeat and simmer 5 minutes more. Skim the impurities from the top of the gumbo, turn the heat to high and boil vigorously 5 minutes. Slowly sprinkle in the file, stirring to incorporate thoroughly, and cook, stirring, 2 minutes more.
• To serve, ladle gumbo into bowls or soup plates, add rice and sprinkle with green onions.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William Morrow, 1993.

OKRA GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, onion, and green bell pepper, and saute until tender. Stir in okra, mushrooms, diced tomatoes and their liquid, tomato paste, file powder, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 40 minutes.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stirring constantly, add flour, and cook 2 to 5 minutes, until a golden brown roux has formed.
• Spoon the roux into the okra mixture, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes, until thickened.

CHICKEN, SAUSAGE, AND OKRA GUMBO

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Cook chicken and sausage in batches, stirring frequently, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from pot, and let drain on paper towels.
• Add remaining ¾ cup oil to pot, and heat over medium-low heat. Whisk in fl our until smooth; cook, whisking frequently, until mixture is chocolate colored, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Stir in onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, about 15 minutes. Gradually stir in broth until well combined. Stir in chicken, sausage, okra, bay leaves, Worcestershire, hot sauce, thyme, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 2½ to 3 hours.
• Discard bay leaves. Serve with rice. Garnish with green onion, if desired.

CLASSIC CHICKEN GUMBO RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Peel and chop the onions .
• Cut the bell pepper in half lengthwise; remove the seeds and stem. Cut the pepper into 1/4-inch dice.
• Chop the celery. Set the vegetables aside.
• For the roux , melt the shortening in a large Dutch oven over low heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until medium brown-about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir the roux constantly to avoid burning. If it burns, you will have to start over.
• Add the chopped vegetables to the roux, adjust the heat to medium-low to medium, and continue to cook, constantly stirring, until the onion is translucent.
• Slowly add the chicken stock and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly.
• Add the diced tomatoes, okra, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, cayenne, and bay leaf; bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the rice following the package directions. Set aside and keep warm.
• Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.
• Add the chicken to the soup and cook, covered, for 6 to 8 minutes longer, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings with more salt and pepper, as needed.
• To serve, scoop a mound of rice into the center of each of the four large, shallow bowls. Ladle the soup around the rice. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and/or green onion tops, if desired.