Easy Oven Roux Gumbo

I made some gumbo the other day for a family gathering--the first time I made it with a roux!
When I made gumbo and blogged about it last year, I thickened it with okra and received a comment to try thickening it with okra and a roux and gumbo file--the commenter said he thought I'd like it. That comment stayed in my mind and, while other things fly right out of mind, this comment stayed. I remembered it when my daughter sent me a recipe from Cook's Country magazine, instructions on cooking the roux for gumbo in the oven, and a photo of the gumbo she made--I was inspired and had to try it myself!

My other gumbo tastes a lot lighter, since it doesn't have any flour in the broth--this one is richer--it's more like gravy.

Easy Oven Roux Gumbo
adapted from Cook's Country magazine

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup oil

1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded & finely chopped
2 cups finely chopped celery
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (14 oz.) canned diced tomatoes
about 28 oz. lower sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup sake
about 2 pounds cut up chicken thighs or breasts, seasoned with Cajun seasoning
6 - 8 ounces andouille sausage, sliced
1 (20 oz.) bag frozen, cut okra or 3-4 cups fresh cut
2 pounds peeled & deveined raw shrimp
1 small can crab meat

 

Preheat oven to 350ºF with the oven rack at lowest level. In a Dutch oven, add 3/4 cup all-purpose flour and heat over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until flour just begins to brown.

Add 1/2 cup oil and whisk until smooth.

 

Cover the Dutch oven and put into the oven for 45 minutes. Look at how nice and brown the flour is after 45 minutes in the oven--and it smells so good as it's baking.

 

While the roux is in the oven, prepare other ingredients.

There are two bags of okra here, but I just used one.

Chop the onion, celery and bell pepper as well as the garlic.

When the roux comes out of the oven and you're ready to cook the gumbo, heat the roux over medium-high heat and add the vegetables.

A wooden spoon works the best to saute the vegetables in the roux, cook for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and wilted. Add 1 teaspoon minced thyme and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Cook for about 1 minute more.

 

Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and sake, combining them well until smooth. Then add the chicken pieces sprinkled with Cajun seasoning.

 

 I like this Cajun Creole Seasoning because it's salt free. Here are the ingredients in order so you can formulate your own: paprika, onion, garlic, black pepper, lemon peel, chile, allspice, thyme, cloves, mace, cayenne, bay leaf.

The market didn't have any fresh okra, so I bought frozen and used the whole bag.

Bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook about for about 20 minutes.

Stir in seasoned shrimp and sliced sausage. Cook gently until shrimp are curled and just cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the canned crab and stir gently. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The next time I make this I'm going to try adding gumbo file too.

Garnish with a scoop of rice and a sprinkling of jalapeno peppers if you like it spicy.

Itadakimasu!

***


My husband's cousins had their get-together this month with a Cajun theme.

 Jessica came over and we cooked the gumbo together.

 We also made Cheesy Bloomin' Onion Sourdough Bread and added some bacon bits. Yum!

 Meg made mac and cheese--creamy, rich and tasty!

 

Dean stopped by one of the local crab places and brought an array of seasoned, boiled seafood.

 

Erik and I were busy taking photos of all the food. Erik is very artistic--I love looking at his photos. He and Claire shared a photo book they made of their trip to Paris!

 Cajun style fried shrimp--I'm sorry, I've forgotten who made these. (Taeko, did you make these?) GREAT idea to put them on a bed of green beans!

This is Mako, you might remember him from his retirement party.

 

Mako's generally the organizer of the get-togethers--here he is with his three boys, Chad, Garret and Dean, from last year's holiday card. I just love the little snippets of their lives that I get to know at the parties. They are so friendly and so nice to visit with me a little at each family gathering.

 

It doesn't seem that long ago that the boys were little.

 

 Look what Mako made! Collard greens with ham. It may have been my favorite food of the evening.

 These caprese cherry cherry tomatoes were delicious--the tomatoes were cut in half, with a small square of mozzarella cheese in the middle, secured with a toothpick, perfect for the buffet. Dressed with a little salt & pepper and light dressing. If I remember correctly, Lena made these. Yum!

 Meg & Ken.
Meg's most often our hostess. I absolutely love these family gatherings. They remind me of getting together with my cousins at Bachan's house when I was little.

 This is Auntie Tsuyuki saying "Itadakimasu" before eating.
She's the matriarch at 95.

 Jessica loves babies and they love her.

Almost a year ago, we welcomed a new little one into our family--here he is with his mother, Maria. He's got a bunch of new teeth and already knows to smile for the camera!


***

Easy Oven Roux Gumbo

adapted from Cook's Country magazine

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup oil

1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded & finely chopped
2 cups finely chopped celery
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (14 oz.) canned diced tomatoes
about 28 oz. lower sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup sake
about 2 pounds cut up chicken thighs or breasts, seasoned with Cajun seasoning
6 - 8 ounces andouille sausage, sliced
1 (20 oz.) bag frozen, cut okra or 3-4 cups fresh cut
2 pounds peeled & deveined raw shrimp
1 small can crab meat

Preheat oven to 350ºF with the oven rack at lowest level. In a Dutch oven, add 3/4 cup all-purpose flour and heat over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until flour just begins to brown. Add 1/2 cup oil and whisk until smooth. Cover the Dutch oven and put into the oven for 45 minutes.

On the stove, heat the roux over medium-high heat and add the vegetables. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and wilted. Add 1 teaspoon minced thyme and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Cook for about 1 minute more.

Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and sake, combining them well until smooth. Then add the chicken pieces sprinkled with Cajun seasoning. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook about for about 20 minutes. Stir in seasoned shrimp and sliced sausage. Cook gently until shrimp are curled and just cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the canned crab and stir gently. Season with salt and pepper to taste.