Seafood Gumbo

Cajun's make gumbo a million different ways. I combined the methods of several different people during the early 1970s while living in Lafayette, LA - the capital of the Cajun country.

Stuff You Need

• 2 lbs small or medium, fresh, tender okra (or frozen baby cut okra)
• 8 large green bell peppers
• 8 large yellow onions
• 3 bunches of celery
• 3 bunches of parsley
• 3 bunches of green onions
• 3 12-oz. cans of peeled, cut tomatoes
• (You basically want enough vegetables to fill a 20 quart pot within an inch or two to the top.)
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• 4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 3 cups of corn oil
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• 5 lbs shrimp
• 3 lbs crab meat
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• 1/3 oz red pepper
• 2/3 oz black pepper
• 1/3 oz paprika
• 1 oz lemon pepper
• 1 oz chili powder
• 1/2 oz salt
• 1/3 oz Zatarain's Creole Seasoning
• 2 tbls Zatarain's Liquid Crab & Shrimp Boil
• 1 tbls Tabasco

Instructions

1. Prepare the vegetables. Chop up vegetables. If you use a food processor, don't cut things too small, gumbo gets better the longer you simmer it. If the vegetables are cut too small, they just fall completely apart. However, it still tastes good that way. Put the vegetables in the pot.
2. Make the roux . Pour the cooked roux over the chopped vegetables and stir. This will keep the roux from overcooking. Add the vegetables and spices to the pot. Cook on medium heat. Only add one tablespoon of Zatarain's Liquid Crab & Shrimp Boil at this time.
3. Add the seafood. Peel the shrimp and crab, if in shells. Add seafood to pot. Add the other tablespoon of Zatarain's Liquid Crab & Shrimp Boil. Cook on medium heat until vegetables are done. Simmer for as long as you can stand it.
4. Serve over rice.