Filé Gumbo

prep time:: 30 min
total time:: 2 hr 30 minutes

Makes 6 servings

Louisiana in a pot. Adapted from Emeril Lagasse, this recipe is written for crawfish, shrimp, and Andouille sausage. The sausage is a must for the flavor it lends to the dish, but feel free to substitute the seafood for chicken, duck, gator, turtle, armadillo, or any leftover meats you have lying around. Serve over freshly steamed white rice with crusty bread.

ingredients

1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups diced onions
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
2 quarts shrimp, crab or chicken stock
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds, browned in a skillet, and drained on paper towels
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot sauce
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
1/2 pound cooked crawfish tail meat
1/3 cup green onion tops, chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves
1 tbsp thyme
1/2 tbsp basil
1/2 cup file powder, or to taste
Steamed White Rice, for serving

directions

1
In a large stockpot, combine the oil and flour. Stirring constantly, cook over medium-low heat for one hour, or until the color of a copper penny when ready.
2
Turn burner heat up to med-high and add the onions, celery and bell pepper. Stir mixture until onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
3
Add the garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute.
4
Slowly pour in stock, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
5
Add the browned sausage, bay leaves, Worcestershire, hot sauce, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
6
Bring gumbo to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer until gumbo is slightly reduced, about 50 minutes. (Gumbo should cook long enough for the roux flavor to mellow and for any floury taste to dissipate.)
7
Season the shrimp with Tony’s in a small bowl. Stir in the seasoned shrimp, crawfish tails, green onions, parsley, thyme and basil. Cook until shrimp are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
8
Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
9
Sprinkle in file powder and cook, stirring, 2 minutes more, or pass file at the table for guests to thicken as desired.
10
Remove bay leaves before serving.
11
Serve in warmed soup bowls over steamed white rice.

notes

The timing for the roux will vary depending on the cook top as well as the amount of roux made. (A smaller amount will cook in much less time.) If this is your first time making a roux, the slower you cook it, the less likely you will be to burn it.

Source: Heather