JL Sargent Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Her real specialty is seafood gumbo but tonight it's crawfish etoufee. Yoohoo, it's gonna be some good eatin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIGARBUM Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 I would very much like to know the reciept for both dishes, would love to see how a true Cajun prepares them. I'm jealous. Cigarbum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted August 17, 2011 Moderators Share Posted August 17, 2011 You obviously married well. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted August 17, 2011 Author Share Posted August 17, 2011 Seafood Gumbo for a big group Roux 2 cups Crisco 2 ½ cups flour Hint: Cook Roux slowly till it is the color of a Hershey’s chocolate bar. Vegetables 2 yellow onion 1 bunch green onions fresh parsley (a big handful) celery fresh mushrooms Hint: Chop all coarsely. My mom adds jalapeno pepper rings to hers. Alabama people generally aren’t that tough. Seafood 4 pounds pealed shrimp 1 pound crab meat 1 pint oysters 3 cans minced clams 2 pounds good smoked sausage Hint: Make sure you marinade the shrimp in a little Cajun seasoning (like Tony’s) for an hour or so before adding it to the Gumbo. Hint 2:If the oysters smell “fishy” don’t put the juice in the gumbo While you are making your roux, start cooking your veggies in a big pot about 1/4 full of water. Add roux very carefully when it’s finished. Add all your seafood and sausage. Season with Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper and garlic, if you like. (I don’t like garlic in gumbo). A good Cajun cook tastes often to make seasoning adjustments. (None of these calories count J) Once the gumbo comes to a boil, it is ready to eat. Serve over hot rice. If you think it’s good today, wait till tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted August 17, 2011 Author Share Posted August 17, 2011 You obviously married well. You got that right! The secret to good Gumbo is getting that roux right. She cooks it on medium heat and is constantly stiring it in a cast iron pot til its dark. The stuff is very easy to burn so you have to stay on top of it. It is the SECRET SAUCE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Roux is truly a labor of love. You gots'ta respect the roux maker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 The secret is to NEVER stop stirring it, even for a moment. It's done when it's the color of a penny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted August 17, 2011 Author Share Posted August 17, 2011 The secret is to NEVER stop stirring it, even for a moment. It's done when it's the color of a penny. A penny? No two pennys are the same. Now A hersey bar, that's the color your looking for. TIP: Make extra roux. Then when you make gravy for hamburger steaks or similar add some roux to your gravy. Oh yeah, they will be begging for more! [Y] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEvan Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 For seafood gumbo, yeah, chocolate is the color for roux. For chicken (or turkey) & sausage gumbo, a lighter roux...medium brown...seems to work better. Bear in mind that the darker the roux, the less the thickening effect A dark roux imparts a smokey, somewhat nutty flavor. And yes, it is the secret sauce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburnwilly Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 For seafood gumbo, yeah, chocolate is the color for roux. For chicken (or turkey) & sausage gumbo, a lighter roux...medium brown+1 but I will add that I prefer the flavor of butter over crisco , personal preference . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEvan Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 My roux is on butter as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1101 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 That gumbo sounds incredible. I make gumbo and etoufee but need the mixes because the roux kills me every time. I can't make a roux properly yet. We'll usually grill some Mahi or tilapia and put the etoufee over that. Here's one I did with Mahi. The etoufee just has crawfish tails. But hey, I live in Georgia so it's not going to be as good as you cajuns can make it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1101 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Do you ever make a roux with olive oil or does Crisco work better? What about adding chicken stock to the gumbo? Do you ever do that or does the roux provide the necessary flavor? What do the hard core cajuns do? Need to learn these awesome recipes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIGARBUM Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I got to have the Etoufee, I hope you can use shrimp instead of crawfish. Up here in the mountains there ain't none of those tasty critters, I checked all over Atlanta and couldn't find any. I'm starting to slobber all over myself CB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted August 18, 2011 Moderators Share Posted August 18, 2011 Never tried olive oil, I think it burns faster, although if you went slower than the already slow process with the olive oil it may be OK. Chicken stock is what I use, we like chicken and sausage gumbo. I usually boil 2-3 chickens then remove them from the water while both cool a little. We remove the bones and fat, then skim off the fat from the water and use that water for gumbo. Don't really make Etoufee anymore, we use to make it with redfish, more of a Couvion, kind of the same, you can use anything really. Crawfish bisque is really good too. When in a real rush or don't want to be bothered I use the box stuff, it's really pretty good considering it takes about 10 min and is so easy a monkey could fix it. [:$] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted August 18, 2011 Moderators Share Posted August 18, 2011 Here's one I did with Mahi. That looks good ! [] Looks like crawfish . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Richard Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Do you ever make a roux with olive oil or does Crisco work better? I use vegetable oil. Olive oil is good too, but the roux has a greenish color that puts some folks off a bit. What about adding chicken stock to the gumbo? Chicken stock or chicken broth is good to add, homemade seafood stock takes it to another level if you are doing seafood gumbo. What do the hard core cajuns do? We cook with beer or wine - not to put into the gumbo but to put into the cook.[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted August 18, 2011 Author Share Posted August 18, 2011 Here is what our Gumbo looks like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxx Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Here is what our Gumbo looks like.Now that looks good. I know what I want for dinner tomorrow night... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1101 Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 That gumbo looks spectacular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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