Payette's Seafood Gumbo Recipe

1 small bunch green onions, chopped
1½ cups chopped onions
1 medium green or red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium celery stalk, chopped
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 dried bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3 pounds uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound crabmeat, picked clean
½ cup chopped parsley
Gumbo file, optional

1. Combine the onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic in a medium bowl; mix well.
2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Gradually add the flour, stirring constantly. Cook 15 to 17 minutes, until the flour mixture is a rich dark brown color, stirring constantly. Be careful not to burn. Add half of the onion mixture and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the remaining onion mixture and cook 2 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat; gradually add 4 cups water, 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly until flour dissolves. Add another 4 cups water. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
4. Reduce the heat and add the bay leaves, salt, pepper, cayenne, oregano, and thyme. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Add the shrimp and crab and cook until the shrimp is opaque in the center, or 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the parsley and gumbo file, if using. Flavors improve greatly if the gumbo is refrigerated overnight.

Serves 18

Tips From Our Test Kitchen: It’s important to cool the mixture before putting in the refrigerator. To cool quickly, place the gumbo in a large roasting pan or two large pans on wire racks. When cooled, place in gallon-size plastic storage bags and refrigerate overnight.