Lisa's Ya-Ya Babes Seafood Gumbo
This gumbo is ALWAYS the star of the show. I served it at my Ya-Ya Babes BIG EASY party and have served it at many other gatherings over the years. The controversy between whether gumbo should have tomatoes in it or not is really about whether you are serving Cajun gumbo or Creole gumbo. Cajun gumbo does not (usually) have tomatoes in it and it often will include chicken and/or sausage. Creole gumbo does call for tomatoes and is typically made with shellfish or seafood. The acidity of tomatoes complements the seafood.
Equipment
- 1 heavy dutch oven I use a Le Creuset enameled cast iron dutch oven
Ingredients
Roux
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Gumbo
- 2 large onions medium dice
- 4 stalks celery medium dice
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 16 ounce can whole tomatoes chopped
- 1 tsp (each) dried whole thyme, crushed red pepper, salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 7¼ cups chicken stock 58 ounces
- 2 lbs medium shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 lb fresh crab meat
- 1 lb sea scallops
Instructions
Roux
- Heat oil in a large dutch oven. Add flour and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the roux is the color of a copper penny. (This can take a while so be patient).
Gumbo
- Stir in onions and celery. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add next 6 ingredients and cook 10 minutes. Stir in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Simmer 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat, add shrimp, scallops and crab, stir and cover the pot. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes or until the seafood is cooked through.
- Serve over cooked rice.
