Gumbo! Don't Scrimp on the Shrimp!

I was told that I need to post a recipe for Gumbo. Living on the Bayou, Gumbo is a standard meal, a way of life so to speak. I never thought that Gumbo was anything special..it was one of those "throw together" meals that you relied upon when you had to feed a bunch of hungry folk. The idea that it is a hard, time-consuming ordeal is ridiculous! I pull what I have from the freezer or off the shelf and voila'..Gumbo! One of my favorite stories is that I can cook Gumbo anywhere. As proof of this, I relate how after Hurricane Katrina, I made a big pot to feed a whole slew of neighbors who had lost their homes and volunteers who came to help. The food in the freezers was still frozen except for the top layer. This top layer was what I would cook for the day and on this day the layer consisted of okra, shrimp and crab meat. Aha! Gumbo! Without any electricity, I had to cook on a grill surrounded by massive piles of debris! The huge pot was hauled out and I made Gumbo for thirty-seven people! Cafe Katrina (a name given to a few picnic tables set up in my yard covered by a canopy made from a bedsheeet!) was filled to capacity! I do believe that was the best Gumbo I have ever made..maybe it was the circumstances..maybe it was because it was shared..who knows.

Today's menu..Gumbo, of course! Now I will probably be called out for this but I do not make a roux to start my Gumbo. It is a matter of taste. I feel that Gumbo can be made however the cook wishes and I personally just do not see the need for the extra step. Most people swear by the method and that is fine by me. But what is roux? It is a mixture of oil and flour that is a thickening agent for the gumbo. My take on this..if you use okra or gumbo file' then you do not need the roux as both of these are thickening agents as well. And well, what do you want with that much thickening? Are you making one great big seafood pancake? So..I do not make a roux. Some are bound to fuss that I do not pile in a bunch of sausage and other meats..mine is more of a seafood gumbo..with just a bit of bacon..mainly for the grease to saute' the veggies. Another thing..in lieu of the seafood stock, I usually just use water or broth..either way. As I have said..a lot of the making of Gumbo is the cook's choice..nothing more. One thing I will encourage, though, is if you have to buy your seafood, splurge on fresh shrimp and lump crab meat. The other just makes a nasty mess..not Gumbo! Another thing..don't "scrimp on the shrimp"! No body likes a wimpy Gumbo!

Bayou Gumbo

1/2 pound bacon

1 pound okra..chopped into 1/4 inch chunks

3 pounds peeled shrimp

2 pounds lump crab meat

2 cups chopped bell pepper

2 cups chopped onion

2 cups chopped celery

2 cups tomato sauce (homemade preferably!)

4 cloves garlic..minced

4 tablespoons fresh parsley..chopped

4 tablespoons fresh basil..chopped

1/2 tablespoon thyme

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

salt to taste

water about 2 quarts

In a large pot, fry down the bacon and set aside..once cooled, crumble. In four tablespoons of the bacon grease, cook down the okra until the slim is gone..about ten minutes. Add the onions, peppers, celery and bacon. Continue cooking until onions are tender..add the garlic and tomato sauce. Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Add the thyme, red pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, allspice and paprika. Stir well and add the parsley, basil, crab meat and shrimp. Bring back to a boil and cook just long enough for the shrimp to turn pink. Salt to taste. Serve the Gumbo over a nice helping of rice and if you wish to use gumbo file', add this to each bowl, not the pot.

Now a note about shrimp..it is best to use small shrimp in the Gumbo. This time, I did use large ones so that they would show up in the photographs. If you do use the large, you might want to "devein" them. To do this, simply slit with a knife along the top of the back and then along the underside or belly. Only make the cut deep enough to grasp the "vein" and gently pull. It should come out quite easily. If you have fresh whole shrimp, the "veins" should come out when you remove the head. Actually..you are not really deveining the shrimp..more disemboweling them..hehe..not a nice thought.