Company’s Comin’ Gumbo
This classic gumbo is built on a rich, slow-cooked amber roux and a deeply flavorful base of Cajun spices, andouille sausage, and tender jumbo shrimp. Toasting the flour in the oven beforehand adds a subtle nuttiness and ensures a smooth, velvety texture without any raw flour taste. It is an impressive, comforting one-pot meal that fills the house with a welcoming aroma, perfect for greeting visitors.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup butter, 2 sticks
- 1 red bell pepper, deveined and diced into ¼-inch pieces, about 1 cup
- 1 green bell pepper, deveined and diced into ¼-inch pieces, about 1 cup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, peeled and diced into ¼-inch pieces, about 1 cup
- 4 stalks celery, trimmed and thinly sliced, about ½ cup
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced, about 2 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 cups homemade chicken broth, or prepared low sodium chicken broth
- 2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup tomato paste
- 4 to 6 drops hot pepper sauce
- 14 ounces andouille sausage, sliced into rounds and cut in half
- 2 pounds uncooked jumbo shrimp (21 to 25 count), peeled, deveined with tails removed
- 2 to 3 cups cooked white rice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Spread the flour onto a baking sheet.
- Toast until the flour has a slight golden tinge, about 8 to 10 minutes. This step will help to remove any uncooked, floury taste from the sauce.
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Whisk in the toasted flour.
- Stir in the diced peppers.
- Cook the roux, stirring often, until it turns amber brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. While you are cooking the roux, heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion, celery and garlic to the pot.
- Add Cajun seasoning and add some of the salt and pepper.
- Cook until the veggies are soft, about 5 minutes.
- Pour in white wine and cook until the liquid mostly disappears.
- Stir in chicken broth, clam juice, diced tomatoes and tomato paste.
- Add the roux to the sauce and cook for 5 minutes. Taste the sauce and season with as much hot pepper sauce and additional salt and pepper as you like.
- Stir in the sausage and shrimp.
- Simmer until the shrimp is cooked through and the flavors meld, about 10 minutes.
- Serve the gumbo by placing a scoop of rice in the middle of a bowl. Surround the rice with gumbo.
- Serve additional hot pepper sauce on the side!
The Heart of the Table
Placed in the center of the table, this steaming pot of gumbo represents the ultimate expression of hospitality and shared comfort. The rich, spicy aromas gather everyone close, while the colorful presentation of sausage, shrimp, and white rice makes the meal feel like a celebration. It encourages a warm, slow-paced dining experience where guests can ladle up warmth and enjoy the cozy atmosphere.
The Art of the Host
- a set of organic, hand-glazed stoneware soup bowls in a soft sage green
- a fine-blade microplane zester with an ergonomic soft-grip handle
- a teardrop weighted stainless steel bar spoon with a twisted stem
- a heavy-gauge tri-ply stainless steel shallow sauté pan
- a seamless, high-heat resistant silicone spatula in a soft slate grey
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Serve in a large, pre-warmed ceramic soup bowl with a scoop of white rice in the center, surrounded by the rich gumbo, and garnished with fresh green onions.
- THE POUR: A crisp, off-dry Riesling or a cold Belgian-style Witbier to balance the spicy Cajun heat.
- THE VIBE: Coastal Dining Room: The soft sound of waves or breeze and the warm glow of candlelight set a relaxed, welcoming mood for a comforting evening.