Photo by Gina Moore
Serves 8
¾ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
6 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (less if preferred)
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, plus more for garnish
2 bay leaves
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound white fish
1 pound lump crab
½ pound oysters, optional
3 cups frozen cut okra
½ cup chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
Cooked rice, optional
In a heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add oil and flour and combine well into a sand-like consistency. Stir constantly for 30–40 minutes to make a roux. The mixture will turn a light chocolate color. Add onions, celery, peppers, and garlic, and continue stirring for 8–10 minutes. Gradually add chicken stock, thyme, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, salt, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and bay leaves, stirring until blended. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour.
Add shrimp, fish, crab, and oysters, and cook another 10 minutes until all seafood is cooked through. Remove from heat, add frozen okra and parsley, and stir. Let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve over rice or alone in a soup bowl. Garnish with additional parsley and Tabasco sauce if desired.
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
Okra tends to become slimy if cooked too long. Add it at the end of the cooking process, just before serving, so it remains whole and has a refreshing crunch.
When a recipe calls for lemon juice and lemon zest, zest the lemon first and then squeeze it for the juice.
To trim asparagus, take one spear, hold it at each end, and bend until it breaks. Use this as a guide to trim the rest.