A Gumbo Type Situation
Serves 4.
Prep & Cook Time 1.5 hours.
THIS IS NOT A TRADITIONAL GUMBO, which is why this is named “A Gumbo Type Situation”. This recipe was inspired by me thinking of what to do with leftover’s from TLBRT Hospitality’s Issa Crab Feast! pop-up event. Here’s what I’ve created, using methods from a traditional gumbo, while utilizing ingredients I had on hand at home. Have fun with this one, and feel free to make substitutions based on what you have at home too.
Ingredients Needed:
3 stalks Green Onion
3 stalks Celery
2 cloves Garlic
Parsley (Fresh or Dried)
Ground Ginger
Ground Hot Pepper
Pink Salt
Soy Sauce
5 tbs Butter (additional 2 tbs for sauteing vegetables)
5 tbs Flour
2 Crabs cut in half width wise)
½ lb Mussels
½ lb Shrimp
2 Ears White Corn
1 pc Cassava/Yucca
6 to 8 cups Water or Stock
Cooked White Rice
Supplies Needed:
12 Qt Stock Pot
Cutting board
Whisk
Wooden Cook Spoon
Chef’s Knife
2 Mixing Bowls
4 Soup Bowls (for serving)
The Process:
Dice green onion and celery.
Mince garlic.
Shuck/peel the corn. You can slice corn kernels off the cob or cut the cob into 4 to 6 smaller pieces. Your choice.
Cut crabs in half width wise and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add shrimp and mussels to that same mixing bowl. Season & toss with "Better Than…” seasoning blend.
Peel cassava/yucca and cut into 4 to 6 rounds (depending on size of root), then cut each round in half.
Add 2 tbs butter and a bit of oil to Qt Stock Pot. Saute green onion and celery until translucent in color. Add in minced garlic and saute until slightly brown. Season with a pinch of salt. Turn off heat, remove green onion, celery, and garlic from pot. Transfer to mixing bowl.
Time to make The Roux (please read/watch before starting this process), which requires equal parts flour and fat (in this case, butter). Turn your heat on medium. Melt 5 tbs of butter in the stock pot. Once melted, slowly whisk in 5 tbs of flour. This is a low and slow process, so be patient. Continuously whisk until The Roux starts to change color. Turn down heat if necessary - you don’t want The Roux to burn. After 10 to 15 min, the end result should be a deep/dark caramel color.
Add green onion, celery, and garlic to the roux. Give quick stir.
Slowly add in 6 cups of water or stock, whisking while you do.
Once water or stock is added, add in crab, mussels, shrimp, and cassava. Give a quick stir.
Cover the pot and let simmer on low heat for 20 to 30 min. Taste and season to your liking. Dash of soy sauce, ground ginger, ground hot pepper, sprinkle of pink salt, and more “Better Than…”.
* If you don’t have rice cooked already, now is the time to cook your rice.*
Cover and simmer on low heat for another 30 minutes. Taste and season more to your liking, if need be.
Scoop rice into center of a bowl. Add in gumbo. Garnish (sprinkle) with parsley. Enjoy!