Easy Louisiana Seafood Gumbo

[Sunsaver]

Easy seafood gumbo: chopped green onions and jalapeno, olive oil, fresh thyme leaves, sage leaves, several dashes of liquid smoke (over the fish), canned salmon, salt, add the drained meat or fresh fish, canned oysters, tuna, etc (save the liquid), sear on high heat, covered, then add the remaining liquid, a dash Worcestershire, 1/2 teaspoon of filet gumbo (powdered sassafras leaves), a can of tomatoes with okra (or fresh tomatoes and okra with a cup of water) one more can of water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Add 1/4 cup rice, cover, reduce heat, simmer 10 mins. Stir. Cover and simmer five minutes, then turn off. The gumbo should be soupy but very chunky and spicy. I would add fresh shrimp or cooked and peeled crawfish if I had it. Celery and bell pepper can be added at the beginning, but I use chard stems and jalapeno instead when I have them growing. A dash of ketchup can be used in place of tomatoes and okra, or a can of Rotel tomatoes. A pinch of ground clove, ground annatto seed, or Louisiana shrimp and crab boil added at the beginning also helps. I don't use the wheat flour and butter roux, but some butter can be added to the olive oil at the beginning. Sage is a strong flavor, so go easy, just a leaf or two minced, but more can be added to taste, salt and pepper too. I often use curry leaf or culantro instead of sage or thyme, and it's fun to use different, fresh herbs. More filet gumbo can be added to taste also, but you can substitute fresh parsley for that "green" flavor.

[Farmfresh]

Wonderful! I was hoping that you would re-post the recipe here where we can find it easier. Sounds yummy!

[Sunsaver]

I should've said add the drained fish, oil, herbs, peppers or Tobasco sauce, then sprinkle salt and liquid smoke over the fish. Sear on high, covered, then turn off the heat. You can save that as a gumbo starter, or have dried, smoked fish available. Canned, smoked sardines work well too, but I still add liquid smoke and brown the meat on high to get those volatile ethers that are so important to the "sofrito" or saute'. You could also substitute a dash of soy sauce and an anchovie for the Worcestershire, but I swear by Lea and Perrins brand. The "gumbo filet" powder is from Zatarains, another staple of Louisiana, but I think the French Canadians that migrated here used fresh sassafras leaves to smoke fish over cypress fires, so parsley wrapped fish smoked over hickory chips on an electric grill might give the same effect. I just like the ability to dump stuff from a can into one pot, turn on the heat, dump more canned stuff, reduce heat and be done. I suggest adding fresh, Louisiana shrimp at the very end, but those canned oysters in water or canned shrimp works well. You can leave out the rice, add mixed veggies. Collard greens and green lima beans go well with it too, making a green, paleocentric seafood soup (no grains or pasta).

[annaraven]

Sounds great! Thanks.

[calendula]

Sounds good. I have to admit though, I've never tried oysters before! I may have to give this a shot and see if I like them.

[damummis]

Oh Yum!!!!!!!

[Farmfresh]

Hubby and I have a traditional Christmas dinner of oyster stew at this house. Maybe I should take it up a notch. Hmm.