By: Jan Garbade of Folly Beach
Cook Time: 1 Hour | Prep Time: 30 Minutes | Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS:
• 4 Tbsp. Cooking Oil
• 1 12-oz. Pkg. of Andouille Sausages, sliced
• 5 Tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 2 Bell Peppers, chopped
• 2 Celery Sticks, chopped
• 3 C. Fish Stock, Chicken Broth, OR Vegetable Broth
• 3 14 ½ -oz. Cans Diced Okra and Tomatoes, undrained
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 Tbsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 Tbsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
• 1 tsp. Ground Thyme
• 1/8 tsp. Ground Cayenne
• 2 tsp. Lemon Juice
• 1 Lb. Shrimp, peeled & deveined
• 1 Lb. Lump Crabmeat
• 1 Tbsp. Filé Powder, optional to mix in at the end of cooking.
• bunch parsley, for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
1. Put 2 Tbsp. oil in a large soup pot over med-high heat. Add sliced sausage. Turn them 3 or 4 minutes until browned on all sides. Take sausage out of the pot and put them on a plate to the side.
2. Add 2 more Tbsp. oil to the pot. Sprinkle the flour into the pot drippings and stir often about 10-15 minutes until the flour turns brown (this is the rue).
3. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper and celery into the pot and sauté these about 7 minutes until softened. Add the stock, tomatoes, okra, & seasonings. Stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook grits or rice according to package directions. Cover, and keep warm.
5. Into the pot, add the browned sausage bits and shrimp. Cook 3-4 minutes until the shrimp are done (pink). Add the crab and turn the pot to a low setting until the crab is heated.
6. Take out the bay leaf and discard. Stir the parsley into the finished gumbo or sprinkle over the finished dish. Also, if desired, sprinkle & stir the filé powder into the cooked gumbo.
7. Serve gumbo over the cooked grits or rice.
8. Season with hot sauce as desired.
Jan is a Folly transplant, having moved to the island with her new husband in 2002. It wasn’t hard for her to get used to Folly life. She loves smelling the jasmine/ Confederate ivy as she passes by in her golf cart. She and her husband love to cook; he’s a fisherman and is always coming home with fresh seafood — shrimp, fish, and even shark — for her to invent good sides to go along with it! Here’s Jan’s seafood version of this Mardi Gras staple!
