I whipped this up for my church group one afternoon--I did all the prep work the night before, and threw the ingredients into the crock and refrigerated overnight, then the next morning before church I put the crock into the crockpot & set to High. By the time our group met up for lunch it was ready to go! It was a big hit--by the time they were through with it, there was nothing left to take home.
This worked really well for a big group--we brought the gumbo, rice, and pickled okra (to garnish). Another person brought potato salad (a German-Louisianian tradition), another brought salad, bread, dessert, etc. It was a fabulous meal with good friends (particularly when you have friends that will hold your baby while you eat).
INGREDIENTS: (makes 8-10 servings)
1 lb andouille or smoked sausage (Johnsonville's New Orleans Style works well if you can't get andouille links)
2 cups sliced pickled okra (I usually use fresh or frozen, but we had a GIANT jar of pickled okra that needed to be used up. It worked really well in this recipe.)
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
(1) 14 oz can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
1 cup dry roux
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1-2 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 lb medium shrimp, raw, peeled and tails removed
2 green onions, sliced
4-5 cups cooked rice (about 1/2 cup per serving)
pickled okra to garnish
DIRECTIONS:
Place sliced sausage, okra, onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, Cajun seasoning, tomatoes, dry roux, and chicken broth in the Crockpot & stir. Cook on High for 4 hours, or Low for 6-8 hours.
Throw the Worcestershire, Tabasco, shrimp and green onions in for the last half hour of cooking. You can add additional hot sauce or Cajun seasoning at this time as well, to your taste preference.
Serve with rice, potato salad, and pickled okra for garnish, along with a slice of french bread to sop up all the broth.
My Other Gumbo Recipes:
Pressure Cooker Gumbo
Gumbo Risotto
Duck & Sausage File Gumbo
I used to be a gumbo purist and would have never made a gumbo using anything other than a slowly cooked milk chocolate or brick roux. However, about many years ago I had a family member diagnosed with Celiac. After about 10 years of trying to figure out a gluten free roux I broke and opted to start using a gluten free roux powder. Let me tell you purists, is it as good as a homemade roux? No. Is it close enough to enjoy without hours of work? Yes. I love being able to make a weeknight gumbo. This recipe was quick and very good. My only suggestion is to sauté the trinity before adding it to the crockpot as the raw bell peppers tend to make the pot a little bitter. Also, as with all slow cooked recipes, spring for the higher quality canned tomatoes. The cheaper brands tend to have seeds, also contributing to bitterness.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joel, that's a great suggestion, and I agree. My favorite version of a quick gumbo these days is in the Instant Pot, with sauteeing the trinity first before adding the roux mix. Definitely builds a deeper flavor! Also concur on GOOD canned tomatoes!
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