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Andouille Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo

Source of Recipe

From "Once Upon A Chef" by Jennifer Segal


Recipe Introduction

"I can't claim that this gumbo is authentic—there's not even any okra or filé powder in it—but it is delicious and easy to make, with ingredients found at your regular supermarket. And, really, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to gumbo: each home and restaurant has its own version. The only necessity is the roux (pronounced 'roo')—or mixture of fat and flour cooked on the stove until it becomes the color of chocolate—that forms the base of the stew. At my house, everyone always fishes out the sausage and shrimp, leaving me with a huge pot of leftover broth. If your crew does the same, feel free to increase the sausage and shrimp in the recipe. And if you have any leftover chicken in the fridge, you can throw that in, too."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 7 tablespoons vegetable oil
â—¦ 1 ½ pounds smoked Andouille sausage
â—¦ ¾ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onions
â—¦ 2 celery stalks, diced
â—¦ 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
â—¦ 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
â—¦ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
â—¦ 1 teaspoon salt
â—¦ 1 teaspoon sugar
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
â—¦ 2 ½ teaspoons Creole seasoning, such as Emeril's Essence
â—¦ 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried
â—¦ 2 bay leaves
â—¦ 1 ½ pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
â—¦ ½ cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
â—¦ Cooked white rice, for serving


Recipe

In a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Set the browned sausages aside on a cutting board.

Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 6 tablespoons oil to the pot. Add the flour and cook, stirring slowly and constantly with a wooden spoon (making sure to scrape the corners of the pot), until the roux turns the color of milk chocolate. Depending on the type of pot you use, this process can take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes; be patient to get the right color. (The roux will smell toasty as it browns—that's okay, but if it starts to smoke at any point, turn the heat down or remove the pot from the heat for a moment.)

Add the onions, celery, and bell pepper and cook with the roux, stirring frequently, until softened, 7 to 9 minutes. Gradually add the chicken broth, whisking to incorporate the roux as you go, and making sure to scrape the bottom and corners of the pot. Don't worry if it looks like the roux isn't blending with the broth; it will come together once it boils.

Stir in the tomato paste, salt, sugar, cayenne (if using), Creole seasoning, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom and corners of the pot where the roux may settle. Turn down the heat and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the browned sausages on the diagonal into ½-inch slices. Add the sliced sausage and shrimp to the gumbo and simmer until the sausage is heated through and the shrimp are just cooked, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves, and then stir in the scallions. Spoon white rice into bowls and ladle the gumbo around the rice.

Serves 6 to 8