Description

This is a Classic Cajun meal featuring tender shrimp, okra, fresh tomatoes and corn in a savory Roux based soup served with rice. You can add File' powder if you want true File' Gumbo. Adding File' powder will make it slimy.** Okra is commonly thought of as being slimy but there's a way to cook the slime out of the okra. So you can have it with or without, it tastes the same and it's delicious! And it takes just about an hour and a half.

What you need

1 cast iron Dutch oven
1 2 quart sauce pan
1 8" cast iron skillet
1 8" stainless steel strainer
1 large mixing bowl
1 small mixing bowl
1 large cooking knife

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds of shrimp with the heads on.
1 1/2 pounds of fresh okra washed and sliced (throw away the tops and bottoms)
1 yellow corn on the cob
3 medium tomatoes diced
1 medium brown onion chopped coarse
3 green onions chopped fine
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbls. vegetable oil

What you need to do

1 - Make a Roux. Put 1/2 cup of of vegetable oil in the 8" skillet over a medium heat. Stir in, a little at a time, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and brown until it is Cafe' Au Lait,Tan in color. Remove from heat. Set aside.

2 - Put about 2 tbls. vegetable oil in the bottom of the Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the okra. Constantly stir until there is no more jelly coming out of the okra and it's tender.* Put a quart of water in the Dutch oven and stir in the onions and corn on the cob. Reduce heat and cover.

3 - Put a quart and a half of water in the 2 quart sauce pan over highest heat. Wash the shrimp under cold running water and place in the sauce pan. Bring to a boil for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let cool. Strain the shrimp into the stainless steel strainer with the water going into the large mixing bowl. Set the water aside.

4 - Peel the shrimp into the small mixing bowl. Stir the shrimp into the Dutch oven. Cover and let simmer. Stir a little of the shrimp water into the Roux over medium heat. Keep adding water while stirring until the pot is about 3/4 full. Bring to a boil still stirring. Remove the corn on the cob and set aside to cool. Pour the Roux and shrimp water into the Dutch oven. Stir well. Stir in tomatoes and green onions. Shuck the corn off the cob and stir the corn into the gumbo. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Serve in bowls 1/2 filled with rice. Serves 8 - 10

* Skip the first part of the recipe if you want traditional slimy okra. Just put the water, okra and onion into the dutch oven and proceed.

** Stir in the File' to the individual servings.