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Chef Danny Trace's Creole Seafood Gumbo

Source of Recipe

Brennan's Restaurant, Houston, Texas


List of Ingredients

◦  1 ½ to 2 pounds large hard-shell crabs
◦  ¾ cup canola oil
◦  ¾ cup sifted all-purpose flour
◦  3 medium yellow onions, medium dice
◦  1 bunch of celery, medium dice
◦  4 medium green bell peppers, medium dice
◦  2 tablespoons minced garlic
◦  1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
◦  1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
◦  Pinch each of dried oregano, basil, and thyme
◦  4 large bay leaves
◦  Salt and freshly ground pepper
◦  1 pound okra, sliced ¼ inch thick
◦  3 quarts stock (fish, shrimp, or crab) or water
◦  1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
◦  1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
◦  1 quart shucked oysters, in their liquor
◦  Louisiana hot sauce and Worcestershire
◦  1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
◦  Filé powder
◦  Hot cooked rice, for serving


Recipe

Remove the top shells and gills of the crabs and discard. Crack the crabs in half; set aside.

Heat oil in an 8-quart Dutch oven until smoking, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the flour and cook over high heat, stirring constantly until the roux is the color of milk chocolate, 3 to 5 minutes, being careful not to burn. Add the onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until wilted. Add the tomatoes, cayenne pepper, herbs, bay leaves, and salt and pepper. Cook about 3 minutes.

Gradually add stock to the pot, stirring constantly. Add the crabs and okra. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for one hour, stirring often. Add the shrimp and cook for 5 minutes. Add the crabmeat, oysters, and their liquor and bring just to a boil over moderate heat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately over rice and garnish with green onions and a dusting of filé.

Makes 5 quarts