Mumbo Gumbo

Everybody love Gumbo but not everyone can eat it. Like vegetarians, because of all of the meat and people who are gluten free because of the flour in it. Well, I can't help the vegan and the vegetarians but I do have a substitute for the flour part. This gumbo is better the second day, especially if you heat it up and then add the shrimp. I've also uploaded a special how to video in my messy kitchen.

Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup all purpose flour (or gluten free flour) 4 celery stalks, coarsely chopped 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped 2 green bell peppers, chopped 2 bay leaves 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1  can of whole tomatoes, 28 oz, preferably unsalted with basil 2 1/2 cups chicken broth 2 1/2 cups shrimp broth* 1 pound smoked andouille pork or chicken sausage, halved lengthwise, sliced 1/4 inch thick 2 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (use the peels to make shrimp broth) Freshly cooked long-grain rice or quinoa Gumbo flié *Shrimp broth Shrimp shells 1 tbsp lemon juice 5 thyme stalks Peel shrimp, place shells in a sauce pan, cover with water. Add thyme leaves, lemon juice. Bring to simmer. Cook for 10 minutes until you get all of the flavor out of those shells and into the broth. Shrimp broth can be saved  in same the way I save chicken broth: freeze and thaw in microwave when needed. Gumbo The sausages can be par-cooked in oil or cooked in the gumbo for a spicier flavor. Heat oil heavy large Dutch oven over high heat until almost smoking. Add flour and stir until dark red-brown, about 8 minutes. Immediately add celery, onions and bell peppers. Cook 5 minutes, stirring and scraping bottom of pan often. Mix in bay leaves, salt, oregano and cayenne. Add  broths, canned tomatoes and sausage. Boil 15 minutes. Break up tomatoes as you cook. This part can all be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to simmer before continuing. Add shrimp and gumbo filé and simmer until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Mound rice or quinoa in soup bowls. Ladle gumbo over.  That's all, A