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Crab Gumbo

Source of Recipe

From "Acadiana Table" by George Graham


Recipe Introduction

"In my lineup of soups, this crab gumbo ranks up there with peppery crawfish bisque and sherry-infused turtle soup as being in a league of its own. It is a brilliant dish of Creole origin that in the subtle hands of a cook with respect for its fresh, natural ingredients is otherworldly. This gumbo explodes with the intense flavor of the sea and gently thickens with a flavor-filled roux. I like to make the base of this gumbo a few hours ahead (or overnight) and let the pot rest to bring the flavors together. Just before serving, jumbo lumps are added for a final flourish."

List of Ingredients

â—¦  2 tablespoons vegetable oil
â—¦  2 cups diced yellow onion
â—¦  1 cup diced celery
â—¦  1 cup diced green bell pepper
â—¦  2 tablespoons minced garlic
â—¦  12 cups crab stock or seafood stock
â—¦  ½ cup dark roux
â—¦  2 bay leaves
â—¦  4 blue crabs (1 pound total), cleaned, cracked, and quartered
â—¦  Cajun seasoning blend
â—¦  Dash of hot sauce
â—¦  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦  1 pound white lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
â—¦  Filé powder as needed
â—¦  6 cups cooked long-grain white rice
â—¦  1 cup diced green onion tops


Recipe

Heat the oil in a large cast-iron pot with a heavy lid over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, and bell pepper and while stirring, cook until the onions are browned, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic. Stir the vegetables and add the crab stock, along with the roux and bay leaves. Add the blue crabs and submerge into the stock. Bring the liquid to a low boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes; skim off any fat or foam from the surface.

Uncover the pot and season with Cajun seasoning blend, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. You can prepare the base gumbo to this point and hold it there indefinitely. It gets even better the longer it sits. When you are ready to serve it, add the crabmeat (remember that it is already cooked) and let it heat up, about 5 minutes.

Taste the gumbo once again and season with a light hand; your guests can always add their own hot sauce and filé powder at the table. Remove the bay leaves. Ladle the gumbo around a mound of white rice and sprinkle with the diced green onions.

Serves 4 to 6