A good gumbo invites you to slow down, gather around the table, and enjoy something worth waiting for. This New Orleans seafood filé gumbo combines shrimp, sweet crabmeat, and oysters with aromatic vegetables, warm spices, and rich seafood stock. Adapted from Chef Paul Prudhomme’s approach, it gets its distinctive flavor and body from filé—ground sassafras leaves—rather than a flour roux. Ladle it over hot rice and serve with crusty French bread for a comforting Louisiana supper.
INGREDIENTS:
For the Seasoning Mix:
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons sweet paprika
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
For the Gumbo:
¾ cup unsalted butter
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped green bell pepper
3 tablespoons filé powder
2 teaspoons Louisiana-style hot sauce, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1¼ cups tomato sauce
5 cups seafood stock, preferably unsalted or low-sodium
1 bay leaf
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1½ cups lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
12 shucked oysters, with their strained liquor
For Serving:
Hot cooked white rice
Sliced green onion tops
Crusty French bread, optional
METHOD:
In a small bowl, combine the cayenne, white and black peppers, paprika, thyme, oregano, and salt. Keep the seafood refrigerated while preparing the gumbo base.
Melt the butter in a heavy 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper, followed by the filé powder, hot sauce, garlic, and seasoning mix. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for about 6 minutes, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat if the mixture begins to scorch.
Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the tomato sauce and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring and scraping frequently. The mixture will become thick and may cling to the bottom; loosen the browned bits as you stir without letting them burn.
Gradually stir in the seafood stock, scraping up any remaining browned bits. Add the bay leaf and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the shrimp, crabmeat, oysters, and oyster liquor. Bring the gumbo back to a gentle simmer, cover, and remove from the heat. Let stand for 6–10 minutes, until the shrimp are opaque throughout and the oyster edges curl. If the seafood needs more cooking, return the pot to low heat briefly.
Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust the salt and hot sauce. Spoon over hot cooked rice and garnish with green onions.
COOK’S NOTES:
- About the filé: This recipe follows a method in which filé cooks with the vegetables before the stock is added. Keep this step as written rather than saving all the filé for the end.
- Make ahead: Prepare the gumbo base through the simmering step. Cool promptly and refrigerate. When ready to serve, bring the base to a simmer and finish with the seafood.
- Choosing stock: Homemade shrimp or crab stock gives the gumbo wonderful depth. Purchased seafood stock also works; taste before adding the full amount of salt.
- For a thinner gumbo: Add a little additional seafood stock near the end of cooking.
YIELD: Approximately 6 servings
SOURCE: Adapted from Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Filé Gumbo.
