First picture is gumbo with frozen okra and no shrimp as I wait till the very end to add shrimp or it seems kind of rubbery to me if it cooks too long.
Second picture is after the roux is made and the trinity is added. I cannot stop to take pictures while cooking the roux or it will burn. The roux keeps getting darker as the trinity cooks.
The third picture is when you add the first ladle of stock to the trinity.
The last picture is of the stock I made with the shrimp heads and shells.
The first thing to do is de-head and peel the shrimp and throw the peels and heads in a stock pot. I add celery, lemon, onion ends and peels, smashed clove of garlic, a bay leaf, and Cajun spices (like Tony Cachere's, Zatarains, or Slap Yo Mama). I boil this. This will be the liquid I use for the gumbo. I think it has better flavor than water.
The next thing is to cook the andouille sausage. I slice it about 1/4 inch and fry it. I save the oil from this to use as part of my oil for the roux. Today I de-glazed after cooking the andouille sausage and poured it into the stock pot.
You need to chop equal parts onion, green bell pepper, and celery. This is called trinity and it will be used to lower the temperature when the roux turns dark.
The next thing is to make a roux. You need to use equal parts oil and flour. You can add butter if you want for some of the oil. I like to use the oil from the andouille sausage as I think it has more flavor than standard cooking oil and then top off with oil. I cook the roux starting out on medium high until the roux get dark tan and then I reduce the heat to take it to chocolate brown. Then add the trinity right before you think it will burn. The trinity will cool it off. Then I turn up the heat again and cook the trinity until soft and translucent. Add your stock when ready. I used 1/2 cup of oil and 1/2 cup flour for this smaller pot. You can vary this based on pot size.
Now add andouille sausage, okra, and tomatoes. I used frozen okra this time and it did not thicken as much as garden fresh okra so I would add a little gumbo file' to thicken a little. I only added 3 small tomatoes frozen from my garden dicedup. Then adjust Cajun spices to taste. I added a couple shots of tabasco and spices I bought in Louisiana with a bay leaf and a couple of pinches of cayenne pepper. I had a small bag of chicken in the freezer which I cut up and added to the pot.
Last but not least is I add the shrimp at the end so it does not overcook.
I then plate with white rice. I add a little Louisiana hot sauce and gumbo file' to taste.
Second picture is after the roux is made and the trinity is added. I cannot stop to take pictures while cooking the roux or it will burn. The roux keeps getting darker as the trinity cooks.
The third picture is when you add the first ladle of stock to the trinity.
The last picture is of the stock I made with the shrimp heads and shells.
The first thing to do is de-head and peel the shrimp and throw the peels and heads in a stock pot. I add celery, lemon, onion ends and peels, smashed clove of garlic, a bay leaf, and Cajun spices (like Tony Cachere's, Zatarains, or Slap Yo Mama). I boil this. This will be the liquid I use for the gumbo. I think it has better flavor than water.
The next thing is to cook the andouille sausage. I slice it about 1/4 inch and fry it. I save the oil from this to use as part of my oil for the roux. Today I de-glazed after cooking the andouille sausage and poured it into the stock pot.
You need to chop equal parts onion, green bell pepper, and celery. This is called trinity and it will be used to lower the temperature when the roux turns dark.
The next thing is to make a roux. You need to use equal parts oil and flour. You can add butter if you want for some of the oil. I like to use the oil from the andouille sausage as I think it has more flavor than standard cooking oil and then top off with oil. I cook the roux starting out on medium high until the roux get dark tan and then I reduce the heat to take it to chocolate brown. Then add the trinity right before you think it will burn. The trinity will cool it off. Then I turn up the heat again and cook the trinity until soft and translucent. Add your stock when ready. I used 1/2 cup of oil and 1/2 cup flour for this smaller pot. You can vary this based on pot size.
Now add andouille sausage, okra, and tomatoes. I used frozen okra this time and it did not thicken as much as garden fresh okra so I would add a little gumbo file' to thicken a little. I only added 3 small tomatoes frozen from my garden dicedup. Then adjust Cajun spices to taste. I added a couple shots of tabasco and spices I bought in Louisiana with a bay leaf and a couple of pinches of cayenne pepper. I had a small bag of chicken in the freezer which I cut up and added to the pot.
Last but not least is I add the shrimp at the end so it does not overcook.
I then plate with white rice. I add a little Louisiana hot sauce and gumbo file' to taste.
Attachments
Last edited:
