Louisiana Seafood Gumbo

Gumbos are a Creole specialty. Thick like stew, gumbos traditionally include seafood, okra, as well as other vegetables, such as tomato and onion, and meat, chicken, sausage, and ham — or any combination of these ingredients. This gumbo has a lot of seafood in it, but it contains a variety of other tasty ingredients, too.

Credit: Michael Lamotte/Cole Group/PhotoDisc

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Yield: 12 servings

2 large or 4 medium onions

1 bunch celery

2 bell peppers

7 to 8 garlic cloves

1/2 pound andouille

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 pound claw crabmeat

3 quarts warm shellfish stock, chicken broth, or vegetable broth

2 bunches green onions

Fresh parsley

Salt and pepper

Hot pepper sauce

1 pound large shrimp

1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat

2 dozen shucked oysters, reserve liquid

1. Chop the onions, celery, and bell pepper.

2. Dice the garlic.

3. Slice the andouille.

4. In a 7-quart cast-iron Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat.

5. After the oil is hot, add the flour.

6. Using a wire whisk, stir constantly until you have brown roux, about 7 minutes.

7. Add 2 cups onions, 1 cup celery, 1 cup bell pepper, and 1/4 cup garlic.

8. Sauté until the vegetables are wilted, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.

9. Add the andouille, blending well into the vegetable mixture.

10. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes.

11. Add the claw crabmeat and stir into the roux.

    This will begin to add seafood flavor to the mixture.

12. Slowly add hot shellfish stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly until all is incorporated.

13. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook approximately 30 minutes.

    Add additional stock, if necessary, to retain the volume.

14. Slice the green onions.

15. Chop the parsley.

16. Add 2 cups green onions and 1/2 cup parsley to the Dutch oven.

17. Season to taste using the salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce.

18. Peel and devein the shrimp.

19. Fold the shrimp, lump crabmeat, oysters, and reserved oyster liquid into the soup.

20. Return to a low boil and cook approximately 10 minutes.

21. Adjust seasonings and serve.

    You can serve it over cooked rice.

Per serving: Calories 709 (From fat 273); Fat 30g (Saturated 5g); Cholesterol 183mg; Sodium 1,003mg; Carbohydrate 62g (Dietary fiber 2g); Protein 43g.