Best 4 Gumbo Base Aka Roux Recipes

ROUX-BASED AUTHENTIC SEAFOOD GUMBO WITH OKRA

Steps:

• Put flour into a Dutch oven or large heavy pot and add flour. Turn heat to medium-high, put the pot on the burner, and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick and bubbly, has a 'peanutty' smell, and is dark brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool and thicken.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir celery, green onions, and bell pepper in hot butter until tender, about 10 minutes; add to pot with the roux.
• Stir water, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, hot pepper sauce, and thyme into the vegetable mixture. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 hour.
• Stir okra into the vegetable mixture and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Add catfish, stir gently, and cook until the flesh is easily flaked with a fork, about 5 minutes. Gently stir shrimp into the mixture; cook until the shrimp are bright pink, about 3 minutes. Season with the file powder and salt; stir.

GUMBO BASE (AKA ROUX)

Steps:

• Melt Butter in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium to medium high heat.
• Slowly sprinkle in the flour a little at a time, stirring constantly.
• Continue to stir constantly.
• Do not walk away!
• If you burn it even the tiniest bit, it is unusable.
• You will notice the flour beginning to brown.
• The darker the flour, the darker the gravy.
• For gumbo, when the roux reaches a deep dark chocolate brown color it is done.
• At that point you would add your seasonings, such as onion, garlic, bell pepper and celery.
• You can make this ahead of time and keep tightly covered in the frige or freezer.

SEAFOOD GUMBO

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat until browned but not crisp. Transfer bacon to a bowl with a slotted spoon and transfer rendered fat to a heatproof liquid measure, then add enough oil to fat to bring total to 3/4 cup.
• Stir together fat and flour in skillet with a wooden spoon, then cook roux over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until well browned (a shade darker than peanut butter), about 20 minutes.
• Add celery, bell pepper, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a 6- to 7-quart pot.
• Stir in stock, tomatoes, okra, thyme, bay leaf, cayenne, and 2 teaspoons salt and briskly simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.
• Add parsley, scallions, shrimp, and oysters with their liquor and cook, stirring, until seafood is just cooked through, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in crabmeat and bacon and simmer until heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt. Discard bay leaf.

LOUISIANA GUMBO ROUX

Steps:

• Mix all purpose flour and cooking oil to a peanut butter consistency.
• Spread about 3/4" thick in a baking dish.
• Bake at 350 until dark brown. (Be careful not to burn it! If you do, throw it out. It will be bitter).
• When done, add roux to 3 quarts boiling water. (Approx. 2 tablespoons roux to 1 quart of water).
• Add all remaining ingredients and your roux is complete!
• Double or triple the recipe if desired. Roux can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer for weeks.