1. Recipes

How to Make Seafood File Gumbo - A Step-by-Step Guide

Seafood File Gumbo is a classic Louisiana dish that is a staple in Creole and Cajun cuisine. This rich and flavorful stew is packed with a variety of seafood and served over a bed of rice, making it a hearty and satisfying meal. Gumbo is a beloved dish in the South, and each region and family has their own unique twist on the recipe.

The key to a good Seafood File Gumbo is the roux, a mixture of flour and fat that is slowly cooked until it reaches a deep, nutty brown color. This roux ...

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 5 quarts water
  • 4 carrots, sliced
  • 4 onions, quartered
  • ½ bunch celery, sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 2 sprigs fresh parsley
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • ½ tablespoon ground white pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 16 ounces crabmeat
  • 1 bay leaf, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup corn oil
  • 2 cups diced onion
  • 2 cups diced celery
  • 2 cups chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons file powder
  • 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
  • 1 ½ cups tomato sauce
  • 1 pint shucked oysters

Information

  • Prep Time: 25 mins
  • Cook Time: 8 hrs 50 mins
  • Additional Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 9 hrs 25 mins
  • Servings: 8
  • Yield: 8 servings

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  • Shell and devein the shrimp, reserve the shells. Place the shrimp in a covered bowl and refrigerate. Place the shells on a cookie sheet, and bake until the shells are dried and starting to brown on the edges. Turn off the oven.
  • Make the stock: In a 8 quart pot, put 5 quarts of water, 4 carrots, 4 onions, and celery. Add 2 bay leaves, sliced garlic, parsley, cloves, 1 teaspoons black pepper, 1 tablespoon dried basil and 2 teaspoons dried thyme. Add the shrimp shells. Bring the stock slowly to boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook 5 to 7 hours, replacing water as needed, 2 or 3 times, by pouring more water down side of pot.
  • Remove stock from heat and strain. Press all liquid from the shells and vegetables, then discard them. Return liquid to heat and reduce stock to 2 to 3 quarts, or to your desired quantity (you will need 7 cups of this stock for this recipe). If clarity is desired, strain the stock through a cloth.
  • In a small bowl, combine the ground red, white, and black peppers, paprika, thyme, oregano, bay leaf and salt and set aside.
  • In a heavy pot, 5-quart or larger, heat oil over medium heat, warming the pot first. Add onions, celery and green pepper. Turn heat to high. Stirring frequently, add garlic, file, hot pepper sauce, and the pepper-herb mixture. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add tomato sauce and stir as it reduces over high heat. Add 7 cups of the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
  • When ready to serve, add shrimp, oysters, and crabmeat. Cover and wait 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand for 10 minutes.

    • Nutrition

    418 cal.

    • Total Fat: 24g
    • Saturated Fat: 3g
    • Cholesterol: 142mg
    • Sodium: 951mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 24g
    • Dietary Fiber: 7g
    • Total Sugars: 10g
    • Protein: 29g
    • Vitamin C: 61mg
    • Calcium: 224mg
    • Iron: 8mg
    • Potassium: 1102mg

    Categories

    Seafood recipes
    Gumbo recipes