Crab Gumbo Recipes

CRAB AND SHRIMP GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add okra, cooking until roping ceases, about 30 minutes; set aside.
• Meanwhile in a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed stockpot, heat the 3/4 cup of oil.
• Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour. Cook over medium to medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is a milk chocolate color.
• Add the onion, bell pepper and celery to the roux, cook and stir about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook another minute.
• Add the heated stock a little at a time, stirring until fully incorporated.
• Add the tomatoes, thyme, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, salt, hot sauce and okra, stir; add the frozen gumbo crab bodies and their whole claws.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and low simmer for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, occasionally skimming off any foam and excess oil that accumulates on the top. Do not allow to boil.
• Remove the gumbo crabs and add in the cleaned, boiled crab bodies and the prepared crab claws, if using.
• Toss the shrimp with Old Bay and Cajun seasoning and add to the gumbo pot, cook for about 4 minutes.
• Add the lump crab, very gently stir in so as not to break up the crab too much; simmer just until heated through. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
• Serve in bowls over hot, cooked rice and garnish each serving with green onion if desired. Pass hot sauce at the table.

CURRIED SHRIMP AND CRAB GUMBO

Steps:

• Make the roux: In a large pot, heat the oil over medium until just short of smoking, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir the flour into the oil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring almost constantly, until the roux is the color of milk chocolate, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add the onion, bell pepper and celery to the roux. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Stir in the stock, crushed tomatoes, curry leaves (discard the stems), bay leaves, turmeric and thyme, along with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon chile powder. Bring the gumbo to a boil over high heat. Once the mixture boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the flavors meld, skimming the skin that forms on the surface, about 1 hour.
• Season the shrimp with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon chile powder. Stir the shrimp into the gumbo and cook until shrimp is pink and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the crab meat and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
• Crack black pepper into empty soup bowls, then divide the cilantro and scallions among the bowls. Add a scoop of steamed rice to each bowl then ladle the gumbo on top to serve.

SHRIMP AND CRAB GUMBO

Steps:

• In a 4-quart saucepan simmer reserved shrimp shells, bay leaf, and water, partially covered, 15 minutes and strain through a sieve into a bowl. Return shrimp stock to pan and keep warm.
• In a heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) cook oil and flour over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a flat-edged metal or wood spatula, until roux is a couple of shades darker than peanut butter, about 30 minutes. Stir in onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened.
• Stir roux into stock and bring to a boil, stirring. Add crab legs and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Stir in rice and tomatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally, 12 minutes.
• Transfer crab legs to a work surface. Cut shells open with kitchen shears and remove crab meat, discarding shells and cartilage. Tear crab meat into bite-size pieces and stir into gumbo. Add shrimp and simmer until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in scallion greens, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. Gumbo may be made 1 day ahead, cooled, uncovered, and chilled, covered.

SHRIMP, CRAB, AND OYSTER GUMBO

Steps:

• Make stock:
• In a 9 1/2-to 10-quart heavy kettle simmer stock ingredients, uncovered, 30 minutes. Transfer crab legs with tongs to a work surface and cool until they can be handles. Simmer stock 15 minutes more and pour through a large fine sieve into a large bowl. Return stock to kettle and keep warm, partially covered.
• Cut open crab shells with shears and remove meat, discarding shells and cartilage. Cut king crab meat into bite-size pieces and transfer to a small bowl.
• In a heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) cook oil and flour over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a flat-edged metal or wooden spatula, until roux od the dark reddish-brown color of chestnut shells, about 45 minutes. (Alternatively, make Microwave Brown Roux , and transfer to skillet.) Roux may be made 1 week ahead, cooled completely, and chilled, covered, in a glass or stainless-steel bowl. Reheat roux in skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, before proceeding. Add onions, bell pepper, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened.
• Add roux mixture by large spoonfuls to hot stock, stirring well after each addition, and bring to a boil, stirring. Simmer gumbo, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Add shrimp and simmer, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in king crab meat, lump crab meat, and oysters with their reserved liquor and simmer, stirring occasionally, until edges of oysters begin to curl, about 2 minutes. Stir in scallions, cayenne, and salt to taste. Gumbo may be made 1 day ahead, cooled completely, uncovered, and chilled, covered.
• Serve gumbo ladled over rice in large soup plates.

CRAB GUMBO DRESSING

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the sausage and sauté/stir for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Transfer sausage to a paper-towel lined plate and keep drippings in skillet.
• Add the onion, scallion, celery, red pepper, and garlic to the skillet.
• Sauté/stir over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the onion is softened.
• Add in the Worcestershire sauce and Cajun seasoning; stir to combine.
• Transfer the cooked vegetables to a large mixing bowl.
• Add in the cornbread, cooked andouille, crabmeat, and parsley; stir to combine.
• Gradually stir in eggs and approximately 1 cup of broth until the stuffing is evenly moist but not soggy.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer stuffing mixture to a lightly buttered casserole dish; drizzle with 1/2 cup broth, cover with foil and bake in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes (for a crustier top, uncover after 15 minutes and continue baking).

ULTIMATE GULF COAST GUMBO

Steps:

• Peel and devein the shrimp and place in the refrigerator. Place shrimp heads and shells in a large pot, and cover with 2 quarts of water. Cover, and simmer over medium-low heat until liquid is reduced by half. Strain out and discard shrimp heads and shells. Reserve shrimp broth.
• Heat oil in a very large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir in flour with a long-handled spoon. Cook and stir for several minutes until dark brown and flour is puffing and absorbing the oil. Slowly stir in chicken broth and an equal amount of water. Place chicken in the pot. Add onions, celery, bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, Old Bay seasoning, and salt. Boil until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove chicken from the pot, and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove and discard bones, and chop chicken into 1 inch pieces.
• Return chicken back to the pot, along with reserved shrimp broth, crab meat, sausage, and shrimp. Add the file powder, and stir from the bottom of the pot. When the gumbo comes to a boil, remove from heat. Continue to stir from the bottom for 1 minute. Serve.

CRAB AND SHRIMP GUMBO WITH OKRA

Steps:

• Heat 1/2 cup oil in a large stockpot over medium-low heat until a pinch of flour sprinkled into the oil just begins to bubble. Whisk in the flour to form a thick paste the consistency of cake frosting. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the flour is very dark brown and the color of melted chocolate, about 45 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and add okra, onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until onions are translucent and veggies are cooked, 6 to 8 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, cover, and bring to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add okra and cook, stirring constantly, until tender and no longer stringy or slimy, about 10 minutes. Add to simmering roux mixture and simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add 6 cups water plus file powder, Creole seasoning, salt, pepper, cayenne, and bay leaves. Cook, uncovered, tasting a few times as it cooks to adjust spices and adding more water if necessary, until gumbo is as thick as you would like, at least 2 to 3 hours. The longer it cooks, the better.
• Stir in shrimp and crabmeat; cook for 15 more minutes. Ladle gumbo over hot rice in serving bowls.

CRAB 'N' SHRIMP GUMBO

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels to drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. In same skillet, saute onions and garlic in drippings until tender. , Pour into a Dutch oven or soup kettle. Add the tomatoes, consomme and water. Cover and bring to a boil; add the leeks, carrot and okra. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the shrimp, crab, salt and cayenne; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes., In a small bowl, combine flour and cold water until smooth. Stir into gumbo mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in parsley and reserved bacon. Serve immediately with rice.

SHRIMP AND CRAB GUMBO

Steps:

• Shell and devein shrimp, leaving tail sections intact; reserve shells for stock. Break sausage into 1/2-inch pieces; in a skillet, cook over medium heat until all the fat has been rendered, about 8 minutes. Mix in onions, green peppers, okra, jalapeno, and file Cook until onions have softened, about 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and thyme. Reduce heat to low; cook 5 minutes more. Set aside.
• In a stockpot, melt dark roux over medium heat; heat shrimp stock in a medium saucepan over high heat. Gradually pour hot stock over roux, whisking to combine well. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and add reserved sausage-and-vegetable mixture and tomatoes. Stir gumbo well, and let cook for 1 hour.
• If using whole crabs, cut them in half lengthwise, and add to gumbo. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add shrimp, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until opaque. Add crabmeat and parsley, and cook 2 to 4 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot over dirty rice.

SHRIMP AND CRAB GUMBO

Steps:

• Place flour in a small skillet; cook 5 minutes over medium heat or until flour is brown, stirring constantly. Place in a small bowl; cool.
• Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 3 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic; sauté 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Add water, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Combine toasted flour and 1 can of chicken broth in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually pour broth mixture into pan. Stir in remaining can of chicken broth, Cajun seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, crushed red pepper, and cut okra; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
• Add shrimp; cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are done. Gently stir in crabmeat. Remove from heat; serve gumbo over rice. Serve with hot pepper sauce, if desired.