½ cup flour
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup celery, medium diced
2 cups onions, medium diced
1 cup green bell pepper, medium diced
1 cup red bell pepper, medium diced
1 pound Andouille sausage, sliced into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 tablespoon gumbo filé (dried, ground sassafras leaves)
1½ teaspoons salt
1½ teaspoons white pepper
1½ teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 tablespoon oregano
15 cups shellfish stock
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place flour in a pan and toast over medium heat until it’s golden brown, about 15 minutes. Watch flour closely so it doesn’t burn. Warm 4 tablespoons of butter in a sauté pan, add toasted flour and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Set aside. This mixture is called a darkened roux.
In a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the celery, onion and bell peppers and cook 5-6 minutes. Add sausage and cook another 4 minutes. Add garlic and dry spices and cook 2 minutes on medium heat. Add shellfish stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and slowly whisk in the roux. Continue whisking until the roux dissolves and the gumbo thickens. Simmer 20 minutes. Add shrimp and cook 10 more minutes until the gumbo is the consistency of thin gravy. If it’s too thick, add water.
Serve with crusty bread and white rice.
