Branford’s Originals
Hot Seafood Gumbo
Roux
¾ cup (175ml) vegetable oil
¾ cup (90g) all purpose (plain) flour, sifted
4 large onions diced
1 medium bunch of celery, cleaned and diced
4 green or red bell pepper (capsicums), diced
12 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or 5 fresh cayenne pepper, diced
1 pinch oregano
1 pinch basil
1 pinch thyme
4 bay leaves
Salt and black pepper
8 cups (2 liters) fish stock or cold water
2 cups Branford’s Originals hot sauce
1 ½ lb (675 g) gumbo crabs (hard-shelled tops off lungs removed, and cut in half with claw’s cracked with the back of a knife)
2 links andouille sausage (about 1 lb, or 450 g), slice in ¼ - in (½-cm) pieces or any other smoke firm sausage
1 lb (450g) sliced okra (ladies fingers)
1 lb (450g) peel medium shrimp (prawns)
1 qt (1 liter) shucked oysters
Place the oil in large pot over high heat and heat the oil to the smoking point, about 5 minutes slowly add the sifted flower, stirring constantly until the mixture is the color of chocolate, about 3 to 5 minutes (timing will vary). Once the roux is the right color add the onions and cook them for 1 minute then add the celery. Cook the celery for 30 seconds then add the bell peppers, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot. The aroma from the mixture should be wonderful. Once the bell peppers begin to soften add the garlic, cayenne pepper, oregano, basil, thyme and bay leaves. Season the mixture lightly with salt and black pepper. Add the fish stock while stirring constantly. Then add the crab, sausage and okra. Bringing the mixture to a boil, low the heat, and simmer the mixture for about 1 hour, constantly skimming of any oil or impurities. After 1 hour the crab meat will look like white strings, when this happens, add the shrimp and cook them for 10 minutes. Then add the oysters and bring the gumbo to a boil. Finish by adding Branford’s Originals hot sauce, salt and black pepper to taste. Server the gumbo over fluffy white rice. Server 12 as entrée
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