Recipe by Jolie Meaux
Lenten Dried Shrimp and Egg Gumbo
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- ¾ cup finely chopped green bell peppers
- ½ cup finely chopped celery
- 3 whole bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup finely minced celery leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 cup dried shrimp
- 8 cups seafood stock
- ½ cup smoked oysters (optional)
- 9 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
- To serve: cooked rice, French bread
- Garnish: sliced green onion
Instructions
- Combine onions, bell pepper, and celery, and set aside.
- Combine bay leaves, salt, cayenne, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat. Heat the mixture to almost smoking, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Gradually add flour, whisking constantly until smooth. Turn the heat down to medium. Continue cooking, whisking constantly until the roux is dark red-brown. This can take from 10 to 20 minutes, depending on your level of heat.
- Once your roux has reached the desired color, immediately add your vegetable mixture and stir. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables have wilted and onions are translucent. Add celery leaves and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add seasoning mix and hot sauce. Cook for a couple more minutes while stirring.
- Stir in shrimp and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, and remove from heat.
- In a separate Dutch oven, place seafood stock and bring to a rolling boil. Gradually add shrimp roux mixture, stirring until dissolved between additions. Return to a boil and cook until shrimp are soft, about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Add smoked oysters, if using. Add 6 whole eggs. Return mixture to a full boil, turn off the heat, and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Slice rest of boiled eggs in half.
- Serve gumbo with cooked rice, French bread, and half an egg. Garnish with green onion, if desired.
