How do you make seafood gumbo?

The recipe for Shrimp Gumbo is varied and is very diverse and differs with the people that cook it. There are many different family receipes among the Cajun people of South Louisina and there are just as many recipes among the African-Americans of South Louisiana. In fact, gumbo is made with a native African plant that was brought to this Country by slaves brought here from Africa. The common South Louisiana Okra, the food that is a staple of so many Cajun meals has roots in Africa. Not many people know that.

There is also one other very important thing that is part of the Shrimp Gumbo. Many people in today's world seem to think that cooking Cajun means spicing up the dinner and adding Cayenne Pepper and Black Pepper until the food is nearly inedible and that is not how a Shrimp Gumbo should be, actually the older generation, the original Cajuns always cooked with simple spices such as basic salt and pepper, mostly black pepper and perhaps some bell peppers and plenty of onions.

90 percent of Cajuns, the good cooks (and by that I mean the grandmas and the mommas and others who take pride in a well cooked meal) do not measure their ingredients.

The basic ingredients for a good Shrimp Gumbo are:

2 - 4 lbs of Shrimp (this depends on how many people you're cooking for and how large a pot you may have.

1 medium size onion with the onions cut into approximate 1/2 inch to 3/4 slices or bits.

1 clove of garlic diced

1 Tsps all purpose flour , 2Tsps of olive oil

1 pinch of salt, 1 pinch of pepper

1 sm bowl of okra sliced

* Prep your food, cutting the White Onion, Green Onions, and cleaning the Shrimp. *

* Prepare a Roux with the flour and olive oil. (put olive oil in frying pan, add flour slowly and whisk rapidly and constantly. Raise heat to medium-high and keep whisking 3-5 minutes until the mixture begins to turn brown. How brown you let it get will create different flavors. Practice makes perfect! Most Cajuns prefer a dark roux about the color of chochalte) * Quickly add the chopped white onions and keep turning. This will halt the roux getting any browner. Cook until the onion becomes transparent. (3-5 minutes) Turn off the heat. * If you like you can add small pieces of chicken breast, that is an option. Another option is adding other It will start out very thick, then gradually become thinner and more liquid. If you don't do this "add a bit at a time" thing your results will be lumpy. After you've added about as much as will fit in your frying pan, return the entire mixture to the pot of stock. Stir well. * Add sausage, if you like, green onions and all spices. Simmer on low, stirring occasionally. (You may want to start the cook the rice now. It takes 40-50 minutes to cook.) * Add shrimp only 2 minutes before serving. You don't need to cook it at all. Shrimp takes very little cooking! The hot Gumbo will do everything in a couple minutes. * Prepare by putting some rice in the bottom of each bowl. Cover with Gumbo and sprinkle some Filé over the top. Serve with bread (a loaf a french bread is nice). Put the Tabasco on the table for anyone who wants it. * I recommend a red wine like a Chianti, Shiraz or Zinfandel.