Shrimp gumbo - house beautiful

6 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
2poundsMedium or large shrimp
7cupsWater
½cupVegetable oil
1cupFlour
cupFinely chopped onion
1cupFinely chopped celery ribs
1cupFinely chopped green pepper
3largesGarlic cloves, crushed
1can(28-oz) plum tomatoes, cut into chunks, and juice
1teaspoonDried thyme
1tablespoonWorcestershire sauce
2largesOr 3 small bay leaves
¼teaspoonTo 1/2 t cayenne
½teaspoonFreshly ground black pepper
cupFinely chopped scallions
1Tightly packed cup chopped parsley leaves
6cupsTo 8 C cooked long-grain white rice
Tabasco or other Louisiana hot sauce

Directions

Shell shrimp, cover and refrigerate. Place shells in a colander and briefly rinse with cold running water.

In a large pot, cover shrimp shells with water and bring to a boil.

Adjust heat and simmer briskly, partially covered, for 45 minutes.

Strain the shrimp stock through a sieve. Measure out 6 C stock. If there isn't enough stock, add water; if there is more than 6 C, boil to reduce slightly. Reserve.

In a 6-to 8-quart stockpot, cook oil and flour over low heat, stirring frequently for about 1 hour, or until the mixture has turned into a rich brown roux.

As soon as the roux is the right color, add onion, celery and green pepper; the vegetables will turn the roux a deep mahogany brown.

Cover the pot and let the vegetables sweat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the gar- lic and cook, covered, for 2 minutes.

Uncover, add shrimp stock, tomatoes and juice to the stockpot. Turn heat to high and stir until the liquid comes to a boil and becomes almost smooth. Add thyme, Worcestershirc sauce, bay leaves, cayenne and black pepper. Cover pot and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.

Add half the scallions and half the parsley to the pot and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Before serving, remove bay leaves, heat gumbo to the boiling point, add shrimp, stir well and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until shrimp are cooked through.

Mound rice in the center of soup bowls, ladle hot gumbo and shrimp around rice and top with remaining parsley and scallions. Serve with Tabasco or other Louisiana hot sauce. Serves 6 to 8.

House Beautiful/February/94 Scanned & fixed by DP & GG Submitted By LAWRENCE KELLIE On 6-08-95