Kathys Cajun Shrimp Gumbo Recipes

SHRIMP GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Put the oil and flour into a 5- to 6-quart cast-iron Dutch oven and whisk together to combine. Place on the middle shelf of the oven, uncovered, and bake for 1 1/2 hours, whisking 2 to 3 times throughout the cooking process.
• While the roux is baking, de-head, peel, and devein the shrimp. Place the shrimp in a bowl and set in the refrigerator. Place the heads and shells in a 4-quart saucepan along with the water, set over high heat, and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to low and simmer until the liquid has reduced to 1 quart, about 1 hour. Remove from the heat and strain the liquid into a container, discarding the solids.
• Once the roux is done (it will be a brick red-brown), carefully remove it from the oven and set over medium-high heat. Gently add the onions, celery, green peppers, and garlic, and cook, moving constantly until the onions begin to turn translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, black pepper, thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaves, and stir to combine. Gradually add the shrimp broth while whisking continually. Decrease the heat to low, cover, and cook for 35 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, add the shrimp and sausage, and stir to combine. Add the filé powder while stirring constantly. Cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes prior to serving. Serve over rice.

HUSBAND'S GRANDMOTHER'S SHRIMP GUMBO

Steps:

• Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium heat, discard the fat in the skillet, and drain the sausage slices on paper towels to absorb any excess grease. Set the sausage aside. Cook and stir the chopped bacon in the skillet until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes, remove the bacon, and set aside. Stir the okra into the hot bacon drippings, and cook and stir until the okra is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the okra in a colander, and discard bacon drippings.
• Place the okra and diced tomatoes in a saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer the okra mixture for about 10 minutes.
• In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat, and cook and stir the onion, green onions, green pepper, celery, parsley, and garlic until the onion begins to turn brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables but leave the butter in the pot. Stir in the flour, reduce heat to low, and cook the roux, stirring constantly, until it turns the color of milk chocolate, 30 to 45 minutes. Do not let the roux burn.
• When the roux reaches its correct color, whisk in 2 cups of water. Raise the heat to medium; stir in salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme, and bay leaves, bring the mixture to a boil, and stir in the sausage, bacon, okra-tomato mixture, and 6 more cups of water. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer the gumbo, stirring occasionally, until the soup has thickened and the flavors are blended, about 45 minutes. Stir in the shrimp, and simmer until they turn pink and opaque, 6 to 8 more minutes. Discard bay leaves and adjust the seasonings, if desired, before serving.

SHRIMP GUMBO WITH OKRA

Steps:

• Peel shrimp and toss shells with 1/2 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Place seasoned shells into a pot with water, 1 tablespoon diced onion, and 1 tablespoon diced bell pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cover. Let cook for at least 2 hours; the longer it cooks, the more flavor will be in your stock.
• Meanwhile, devein shrimp by gently running a knife along the back; this will also make your shrimp plump nicely when cooking. Toss shrimp in remaining Cajun seasoning and place in the refrigerator.
• Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add flour slowly, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon. When all flour is added, continue stirring frequently until roux turns brown in color and has a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Add remaining onion and bell pepper; saute with roux until onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste.
• Stir in tomatoes, okra, and shrimp stock slowly. Add crab boil seasoning. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer and let cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Stir in shrimp and continue cooking until shrimp are bright pink but not tough, about 20 minutes.

SHRIMP GUMBO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• In a heavy, large Le Cruset pot or dutch oven, sauté the bacon until browned. Add oil, stir, then add the onion and celery until onion is transparent. Add the bay leaves, thyme, garlic, lemon-pepper, and Tony Chachere's seasoning, stir well, and saute for 1 minute.
• Add the chicken or fish stock, okra/tomatoes, and canned tomatoes. Cover the pot and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Remove the pot from heat and stir in the shrimp.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• While gumbo is simmering, prepare the topping. In a bowl, mix together the beaten eggs and milk, then add the muffin mix and stir until just blended. (Note: I prefer cornbread which is not sweet, so I use my own cornbread recipe.).
• Drop the cornbread dough by tablespoons-full on top of the hot gumbo mixture in the pot, leaving the center un-covered. Place in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes and bake, uncovered, or until a knife comes out of the cornbread clean.
• If you like, you can prepare this dish the traditional Southern way by using a deep iron skillet to bake it in, but you can also bake it In a pan with an ovenproof handle. You can also use frozen okra in place of the canned - the resulting casserole will be less soupy and nicely thick. Chicken may be substituted for the shrimp, as well; if using, add the cubed chicken before to 30 minute simmer.
• Note: depending on the size of the pot you use to bake the casserole in, you might end up with some leftover cornbread dough. Just bake up some more cornbread muffins with the leftover! :).