I have been making this gumbo since I found the recipe in a Cooking Light magazine back in 2002. I have tweaked it over the years. I have made it all seafood or all chicken but I like it best with both, you can also add crawfish. Traditionally gumbo starts with a roux—a mixture of flour and fat that’s cooked slowly until browned. In this gumbo, you brown the flour in the oven. This technique provides a deep, nutty flavor without the fat. I know this is not a traditional recipe but this is a really good, low fat gumbol. Freezes well and warms up great the next day.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 onions onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup celery (optional)
- 8 cups chicken broth or homemade stock
- 1 package of frozen okra slices (about 6 ounces)
- 1 chopped red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 – 3 Tablespoons Emeril’s Essence or All that Jazz Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes, undrained
- 5-6 boneless chicken thighs
- 1 Pound of shrimp, tails and shells removed
- 1 cup lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed (optional)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (or to taste)
Directions:
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Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a 9-inch pie plate; bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Cool on a wire rack.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté for about 15-20 minutes until golden. Add celery and cook until tender. Stir in browned flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in stock and next 6 ingredients (stock through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 1 hour.
Add the chicken thighs and simmer until tender. Remove from pot and shred with 2 forks. Add back to the pot.
Stir in shrimp, crabmeat, and hot sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes. Serve gumbo over rice and a side of cornbread.
Something From the Ovens 