Recipes

Acadian Seafood Gumbo

An Acadian classic.

By SAVEUR Editors


Published on January 17, 2007

Gumbos are a staple of Acadian cuisine, evolving over many years—and in many different kitchens—as new ingredients and techniques enlivened generations-old recipes. For body, this gumbo is thickened at the last possible minute with file powder (ground sassafras leaves).

Ingredients

  • ¾ cups vegetable oil
  • ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • ½ cups finely chopped green bell pepper
  • ½ cups chopped celery
  • 6 cups hot Double-Rich Fish Stock
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. cayenne
  • 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 pint or more shucked raw oysters and their liquor
  • 1 lb. lump crabmeat
  • 2 tbsp. finely chopped scallions
  • 1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
  • ¼ cups file powder

Instructions

Step 1

Make a dark brown roux with the oil and flour.

Step 2

Raise heat. Add onions, peppers, and celery; cook until tender, about 15 minutes.

Step 3

Add hot stock in a thin stream, stirring constantly. (Take care not to add the stock too quickly or at too low a temperature, or the roux will separate.) Add salt and cayenne and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.

Step 4

Add shrimp, oysters, and crab, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes more. Stir in scallions and parsley. Stir in file powder at the table to thicken gumbo. Serve with white rice.

Ingredients

  • ¾ cups vegetable oil
  • ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • ½ cups finely chopped green bell pepper
  • ½ cups chopped celery
  • 6 cups hot Double-Rich Fish Stock
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. cayenne
  • 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 pint or more shucked raw oysters and their liquor
  • 1 lb. lump crabmeat
  • 2 tbsp. finely chopped scallions
  • 1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
  • ¼ cups file powder

Instructions

Step 1

Make a dark brown roux with the oil and flour.

Step 2

Raise heat. Add onions, peppers, and celery; cook until tender, about 15 minutes.

Step 3

Add hot stock in a thin stream, stirring constantly. (Take care not to add the stock too quickly or at too low a temperature, or the roux will separate.) Add salt and cayenne and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.

Step 4

Add shrimp, oysters, and crab, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes more. Stir in scallions and parsley. Stir in file powder at the table to thicken gumbo. Serve with white rice.

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