Gumbo

serves 6 - 8

Ingredients:

For the cajun herbs:

* 1 spoon garlic powder

* 1 spoon onion powder

* 2 teaspoons white pepper

* 2 teaspoons black pepper

* 1,5 teaspoon cayenne pepper

* 2 teaspoons thyme

* 0,5 teaspoon oregano

* Salt to taste

For the roux:

* flour

* butter/oil

For the dish:

* Cajun herbs

* 3 spoons of roux

* 2 middle sized onions

* 1 paprika

* celery

* 1 can okra (300 g)

* 1 can of tomato cubes

* 1 spoon tomato puree

* 60 g butter

* 2 garlic cloves

* 2 bay leaves

* 0,5 teaspoon piment

* Tabasco to taste

* 1 spoon worcestersauce

* 2 liters fish stock

* 500 gram middle sized shrimp

* andalouie sausage ( or "Gelderse gekookte worst" if you can't find it in the Netherlands)

* Rice 

Preparation:

Start by making the roux, you do this by having an evenly distributed amount of flour and oil or butter. I used oil. Heat up a pan and warm up the oil until it starts to get hot. Add a quarter of the flour and keep stirring on medium heat. Slowly add more and more flour until you reached an even amount of oil and flour. Keep stirring until it reaches a dark brown colour. It should not burn! Keep stirring, this is very important, but you can also take the pan from the heat and stir for 30 seconds before putting it back. When the roux is finished, put it aside. 

Rinse the okra and set aside for later.

Finely cut all the vegetables and the garlic. Stir fry the onion, paprika and celery on low heat for 2 - 3 minutes then add the garlic and the sausage. Put the heat on the lowest setting and let it cook for 10 - 20 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Meanwhile start boiling the rice.

Now add the Okra, the tomato cubes and the tomato puree to the vegetables, along with all the herbs, worcestersauce and tabasco. Stir thorougly and let it cook for 2 minutes. Now add the fish stock and the roux and mix until blended. Bring to the boil, turn the heat low and keep stirring occasionally for 15 minutes while it simmers. Now add the shrimp and cook for 5 minutes more and your dish is ready. Bring to taste with salt and pepper if you like.

Serve immediately with the rice.

Enjoy your meal,

Mike & Leda