Eula Mae’s Cajun Seafood Gumbo Recipe

Serves/Makes: 12 – 16

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 2 pounds lump crab meat
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 pounds fresh okra or 2 (16-ounce) packages frozen okra, thawed, thinly sliced (about 8 cups)
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 4 quarts water
• 2 pounds cubed cooked ham
• 3 large onions, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 head garlic, cloves peeled but left whole
• 1 green pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
• 1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 2 teaspoons Tabasco pepper sauce
• 6 cups cooked rice

How to cook Eula Mae’s Cajun Seafood Gumbo:

• Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a large skillet (not cast iron) over medium heat and add the okra. Cook, stirring frequently, until it is no longer ropy, about 30 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook, stirring, for another 10 minutes, until the okra takes on a brownish color and is reduced to about a quarter of its original volume. Put the okra in a medium bowl and set aside.
• In a large stockpot over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Meanwhile, add the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the ham to the skillet. Saute the ham over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, or until it is lightly browned. With a slotted spoon, remove the ham to the stockpot. In the same skillet, combine the onions, celery, garlic, and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the vegetables, okra, and tomatoes to the stockpot; cover and simmer over medium heat for 1 hour.
• Reduce the heat to very low, add the shrimp, and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes. Add the crab meat and Tabasco sauce; simmer for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
• Serve the seafood gumbo in soup bowls with scoops of rice.

Note:
A very traditional old recipe for Seafood Gumbo made by an expert Louisiana cook, Eula Mae Dore, on Avery Island; home of Tabasco Hot Sauce.

Comments:
Gumbo is a stew or soup originating in Louisiana which is popular across the Gulf Coast of the United States and into the U.S. South. It consists primarily of a strong stock, meat and/or shellfish, a thickener, and the vegetable “holy trinity” of celery, bell peppers, and onion. The soup is traditionally served over rice.

This recipe for Eula Mae’s Cajun Seafood Gumbo serves/makes: 12 – 16

The Eula Mae’s Cajun Seafood Gumbo recipe is adopted from The Tabasco Brand Cookbook by Paul McIlhenny 2004.Main Ingredient: Seafood Mix 
Preparation Method: Soup/Stew 
Cuisine: Cajun