In celebration of the arrival of beautiful handmade pottery from my Mother, and a day of "playing hooky" from school, I decided to make Gumbo! This particular gumbo is begun with a rich roux into which a liberal amount of garlic and smoked chipotle pepper powder is added. Fresh Gulf Shrimp and local beef sausage are then simmered in a sofrito, and added to the roux before the dish is served.
* Sofrito is often used in Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American cuisine and is a blend of aromatics, usually with onions tomatoes, and red peppers. Roux 1/2 cup flour 8 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper powder 1 tablespoon Jamaican Jerk Rub 1/2 cup oil (coconut is my favorite) 1-2 tablespoons salt 1.5 tablespoons sugar 2-3 cups water Sofrito 2 tablespoons oil (coconut) 1 teaspoon salt 1.5 cups chopped red pepper 1 cup chopped onion 1.5 cups chopped fresh, firm tomatoes 1/2 cup chopped parsley Meat 2 cups peeled shrimp (local if possible) 1 cup sliced sausage of choice (Andouille is a classic) Rice Cook White Jasmine Rice according to package instructions. Garnish lemon wedges parsley In a Dutch oven or large pot, begin the roux. It is important to cook over a medium to low heat so as not to scorch the flour to the bottom of the pot. First, add the oil, then the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Stir continuously until the mixture begins to toast and smell nutty, then add the spice, garlic, salt, and lastly sugar. After approximately 9 minutes of stirring, add the water, until the roux has reached a desired consistency. Set aside. Begin cooking rice according to package directions. To begin the sofrito, heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add vegetables and let cook 8-10 minutes, (the idea is a melding of flavors, so don't expect the veg to come out al dente). Finally, add the shrimp and sausage and parsley and cook for 5-7 minutes until the shrimp is very nearly cooked. Add mixture to roux to complete cooking. To plate, oil a measuring cup, and pack in the warm rice, then turn onto the serving platter. Scoop out the gumbo and pour alongside or over rice. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
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M. RudieneI grew up in rural Wisconsin...moved to Corpus Christi to attend college... and have now moved to the Bronx with my wonderful husband! Categories
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