Best 12 Seafood Gumbo For A Crowd Recipes

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When it comes to feeding a large gathering, few dishes can compete with the sheer satisfaction of a steaming pot of seafood gumbo. This classic Southern dish is a flavorful and hearty stew that combines the best of the sea with the comforting flavors of a rich roux and tender vegetables. Whether you're hosting a Mardi Gras party, a family reunion, or a casual get-together, a seafood gumbo is sure to be a hit with everyone at the table. With its vibrant colors, tantalizing aromas, and delicious taste, this dish is a celebration of Southern cuisine and a wonderful way to bring people together.

Let's cook with our recipes!

SEAFOOD GUMBO



Seafood Gumbo image

Gumbo is one dish that makes Louisiana cuisine so famous. We live across the state line in Texas and can't seem to get enough of this traditional gumbo recipe that features okra, shrimp, spicy seasonings and what is called the holy trinity-onions, green peppers and celery. This recipe calls for seafood, but you could also use chicken, duck or sausage. -Ruth Aubey, San Antonio, Texas

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 50m

Yield 24 servings (6 quarts).

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup canola oil
4 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped green pepper
1 cup sliced green onions
4 cups chicken broth
8 cups water
4 cups sliced okra
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 cups small shrimp, rinsed and drained, or seafood of your choice
1 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

Steps:

  • In a heavy Dutch oven, combine flour and oil until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir about 10 minutes more or until mixture is reddish brown. , Add the onion, celery, green pepper and green onions; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, water, okra, paprika, salt, oregano and pepper. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. , Add shrimp and parsley. Simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes more or until seafood is done. Remove from heat; stir in Cajun seasoning.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 166 calories, Fat 10g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 96mg cholesterol, Sodium 900mg sodium, Carbohydrate 10g carbohydrate (2g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 10g protein.

SEAFOOD GUMBO



Seafood Gumbo image

This delightful Seafood Gumbo is full of shrimp and crab and it has a nice spicy kick.

Provided by Christin Mahrlig

Categories     Soup

Time 2h30m

Number Of Ingredients 19

2 pounds unpeeled fresh large shrimp
1/2 cup butter, divided
2 (32-ounce) cartons chicken broth
1 pound andouille sausage, (sliced)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1 cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 (12-ounce) bottle amber beer
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup green onion tops
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 pound lump crabmeat
Cooked rice for serving

Steps:

  • Peel and devein shrimp, placing shrimp shells in a large pot. Refrigerate shrimp until needed.
  • In a large pot, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Add shrimp shells and cook until pink. Then add broth.
  • Bring broth to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm until needed.
  • In a large Dutch oven, cook sausage until browned. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  • Add oil and remaining 1/4 cup butter to Dutch oven. Heat over medium heat until butter is completely melted.
  • Add flour and stir with wooden spoon until smooth.
  • Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring frequently until roux is a dark caramel color. This will take 30 to 40 minutes.
  • Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Add green pepper and celery and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring often.
  • Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
  • Add beer and stir in well.
  • Pour shrimp stock through a fine-meshed sieve into Dutch oven. (I like to add it in 3 separate additions, mixing well between additions.
  • Add Cajun seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves, plus the reserved andouille sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
  • Add green onions, parsley, and shrimp. When shrimp are pink, remove from heat and stir in crabmeat.
  • Serve with white rice.

SEAFOOD GUMBO



Seafood Gumbo image

Provided by Emeril Lagasse

Categories     main-dish

Time 2h39m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 pint oysters, in their liquor
1 cup butter
1 cup flour
2 onions, chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
2 quarts shrimp or seafood stock
4 blue crabs, halved
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound fish fillets, such as redfish or another firm-fleshed fish, cut into pieces

Steps:

  • In a large, heavy saucepan or dutch oven melt butter and whisk in flour until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until roux is a peanut butter color, about 20 minutes.
  • Immediately add onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and bay leaves and cook until vegetables are very soft, about 8 minutes. Add stock and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil, skim surface, and reduce heat to a simmer. Add crabs and cook for 1 1/2 hours, until thickened and flavorful. If gumbo seems too thick, thin with water or seafood stock.
  • Add shrimp and fish and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until shrimp turn pink and fish is cooked through. Add oysters (with their liquor), parsley, and green onions, and cook until edges of oysters curl, about 5 to7 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, and serve in large bowls over hot white rice.

GOOD NEW ORLEANS CREOLE GUMBO



Good New Orleans Creole Gumbo image

I am going to give you my gumbo recipe. I learned to cook from my mother and grandmother who were born and raised in New Orleans and really knew how to cook. Most of the time, you could not get them to write down their recipes because they used a 'pinch' of this and 'just enough of that' and 'two fingers of water,' and so on. This recipe is a combination of both of their recipes which I have added to over the years. Serve over hot cooked rice. The gumbo can be frozen or refrigerated and many people like it better the next day. Bon appetit!

Provided by Mddoccook

Categories     Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes     Stews     Gumbo Recipes

Time 3h40m

Yield 20

Number Of Ingredients 24

1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup bacon drippings
1 cup coarsely chopped celery
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
3 quarts water
6 cubes beef bouillon
1 tablespoon white sugar
salt to taste
2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®), or to taste
½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning blend (such as Tony Chachere's®), or to taste
4 bay leaves
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato sauce
4 teaspoons file powder, divided
2 tablespoons bacon drippings
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen cut okra, thawed
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 pound lump crabmeat
3 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Steps:

  • Make a roux by whisking the flour and 3/4 cup bacon drippings together in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat to form a smooth mixture. Cook the roux, whisking constantly, until it turns a rich mahogany brown color. This can take 20 to 30 minutes; watch heat carefully and whisk constantly or roux will burn. Remove from heat; continue whisking until mixture stops cooking.
  • Place the celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the vegetables are very finely chopped. Stir the vegetables into the roux, and mix in the sausage. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
  • Bring the water and beef bouillon cubes to a boil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Stir until the bouillon cubes dissolve, and whisk the roux mixture into the boiling water. Reduce heat to a simmer, and mix in the sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer the soup over low heat for 1 hour; mix in 2 teaspoons of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark.
  • Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in a skillet, and cook the okra with vinegar over medium heat for 15 minutes; remove okra with slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo. Mix in crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Just before serving, stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 283.1 calories, Carbohydrate 12.1 g, Cholesterol 142.6 mg, Fat 16.6 g, Fiber 1.8 g, Protein 20.9 g, SaturatedFat 5.9 g, Sodium 853.1 mg, Sugar 2.8 g

SEAFOOD GUMBO



Seafood Gumbo image

This seafood gumbo takes some time, but is well worth the investment. Serve over long-grain white rice.

Provided by Sara

Categories     Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes     Stews     Gumbo Recipes

Time 1h45m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 20

½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup vegetable oil
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped green bell pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons file powder
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1 ½ cups tomato sauce
7 cups fish stock
2 cups shucked oysters
1 cup crabmeat
1 pound small shrimp - peeled and deveined, shells reserved for stock

Steps:

  • Combine the red, white, and black peppers, paprika, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, and salt; set aside.
  • In a heavy pot, 5 quart or larger, heat oil over medium heat, warming the pot first. Add onions, celery, and green pepper. Turn heat to high. Stirring frequently, add garlic, file, hot sauce, and the pepper-herb mixture. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Add tomato sauce, and stir as it reduces over high heat. Add fish stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
  • When ready to serve, add shrimp, oysters, and crabmeat. Cover, and wait 5 minutes. Turn off heat, and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 357.2 calories, Carbohydrate 13 g, Cholesterol 106.1 mg, Fat 24 g, Fiber 3.2 g, Protein 22.8 g, SaturatedFat 3.3 g, Sodium 1398.1 mg, Sugar 5.3 g

SEAFOOD GUMBO FOR A CROWD



Seafood Gumbo for a Crowd image

A great meal for a large crowd, tailgate or to make ahead and freeze. Kobe Roux seafood gumbo is a great way to spend a Saturday cooking with family and friends. It's a real crowd pleaser. This is as authentic as it comes and requires a lot of elbow grease and a pretty good spice cabinet, so check out the ingredients before you dive in.

Provided by Kobe Roux

Categories     Gumbo

Time 2h35m

Yield 1 1/2 gallons, 25 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 cup avocado oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 green bell peppers
2 medium white onions
4 stalks celery
2 quarts seafood stock
1 lb frozen okra
1 lb lump crab
2 lbs snow crab
1 lb smoked sausage
2 lbs large raw shrimp
1 (8 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
2 tablespoons file powder
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons cajun seasoning

Steps:

  • Make A Roux: In an 8-quart cast iron dutch oven heat oil until very hot, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and gradually add flour until all of it is incorporated and looks like a thin gravy. Continue cooking over low heat , stirring constantly until the Roux is the color of caramel.
  • Chop the onion, celery and bell pepper (holy trinity) and add one at a time, stirring until all vegetables are coated in the roux.
  • Add cajun seasoning. You can make your own like the one we make, search for Kobe Roux Gris Gris Cajun Rub on this site.
  • Add seafood stock (you can purchase Better Than Bouillon fish, lobster or clam base).
  • Cut the smoked sausage into spoon-sized pieces and pan sear for color and to reduce the fat content. This will also add flavor to the roux.
  • Saute the frozen okra in the same skillet as the you cooked the sausage inches Cooking it prior to adding it to the jumbo prevents the okra from becoming slimy and gross. The gumbo needs okra and file powder to aid in thickening.
  • Continue simmering for 1 1/2 hrs, stirring occasionally.
  • Add raw shrimp (16/20 peeled and deveined), and both types of crab. If you want to use other seafood, feel free to do so, it's really all about what you have on hand or what you like.
  • Reduce heat and cook just until seafood is cooked.
  • Add more seasoning to taste.
  • Serve over bowl of white rice and garnish with chopped green onions.
  • We really recommend that you make this dish a day-ahead and serve it reheated. It, like chili, is much better the next day. Freeze leftovers in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container.
  • Boo-Yah.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 238.2, Fat 14.9, SaturatedFat 2.9, Cholesterol 89, Sodium 544.6, Carbohydrate 7.8, Fiber 1.1, Sugar 1.8, Protein 17.7

SEAFOOD GUMBO



Seafood Gumbo image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 1h55m

Yield 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped sweet bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions (scallions)
1 pound cleaned shrimp
1 pint oysters and liquid
1 pound crabmeat
4 quarts water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cooked white rice, as an accompaniment

Steps:

  • Make a roux by combining the oil and flour in a deep pot and cooking over medium low heat until dark brown in color, about 12 minutes. Add the onions and mix well. Then, add the celery, parsley, sweet pepper, and green onions and mix well and cook for about 25 minutes.
  • Add the shrimp, oysters, oyster liquid, and crabmeat and mix together well. Add water, and cook for 1 hour. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve over rice.

GUMBO FOR A CROWD RECIPE - (3.3/5)



Gumbo for a Crowd Recipe - (3.3/5) image

Provided by á-48714

Number Of Ingredients 12

4 cups oil
4 cups flour
8 medium onions, chopped
8 large green peppers, chopped
2 bunches green onion, sliced
1 large celery bunch, chopped, inc. leaves
3 pounds chicken breast, no skin, no bone, cubed
3 pounds Andouille Sausage, sliced 1/2" thick
2 pounds smoked sausage, sliced 1/2" thick
6 quarts chicken broth
Louisiana Hot Sauce to taste
Tony Chachere's Seasoning to taste

Steps:

  • 1. Mix and cook oil and flour until roux is formed. (dark brown) 2. Saute onion, green pepper, green onion and celery in roux till onions are clear. 3. Add meat. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink. 4. Add chicken broth and enough water to cover to 1 1/2" from top of pot. (do not add salt until after you taste the gumbo after about 1 hour of cooking)

SEAFOOD GUMBO



Seafood Gumbo image

Truly the best gumbo recipe. The cayenne is adjustable for the amount of heat you want in your gumbo. If you like Cajun this is by far the best gumbo you will ever have. The recipe was given to me by a Cajun about 5 years ago and I finally came to making it and WOW. (this stores well in mason jars. if your not serving immediately only add seafood to the mixture when you are to serve and only when mixture is boiling for a 3 minutes and then take the gumbo off the heat.)

Provided by bggio

Categories     Gumbo

Time 1h30m

Yield 15 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 28

4 quarts water
3 tablespoons butter
4 cups okra, sliced
6 large tomatoes, chopped (2 large can of tomato substitute)
2 onions, large and chopped
1 cup celery, chopped, with leaves
2 cups bell peppers (Blend 3/4 cup each Bell red and green and 1/2 cup Jalapeno chopped)
12 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 bay leaves
3 tablespoons cajun seasoning
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
3 ounces tomato paste
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup sunflower oil or 1/3 cup olive oil
1 lb crabmeat
3 lbs shrimp, small to medium
10 oysters (optional)
for stock
3 carrots, halved
3 celery ribs, halved
3 onions, quartered

Steps:

  • *Make seafood stock from 2 teaspoons salt, shrimp heads and shells, crab bodies,(fish carcasses or all of the above for stock) along with the carrots, celery and onions.Bring to a boil 4 quarts of water, lower heat to mid heat 45 m -1hour. Strain the stock, discarding solids.
  • Cook okra in the butter/oil blend in a large, heavy stainless steel pot over medium heat, stirring and scraping until some of the sliminess is gone; about 10-15 minutes.
  • At same time make Roux by blending 1/3 cup flour with 1/3 cup oil keep stirring on mid heat until brown - darkish brown.
  • In another pan fry, onions, celery, garlic, peppers, lemon, the seasonings and herb mix for 10 minute.
  • Add tomato and tomato paste and cook over low to medium heat for about 15 minute.
  • add okra and Roux together . then add to veggie mix for 15 minute stirring and scraping often.
  • Very slowly blend the stock into the mixture. Simmer about 30 minute.
  • Add crab and shrimp and simmer 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Add oysters and simmer about 5 minutes. Add green onions.
  • Cook desired amount of white parboiled rice and place in a soup bowl.
  • Pour desired amount of the gumbo over cooked rice.
  • You can play with the amounts to your liking but this is absolutely cant miss.
  • you can play with the volume of seafood to your liking,
  • This is a large volume for a fairly big crowd my suggestion is to leave the shrimp, crab and oysters out and jar/can the gumbo as a base for when you are ready for it and then once boiling add the seafood.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 253.9, Fat 9.3, SaturatedFat 2.5, Cholesterol 157, Sodium 947.3, Carbohydrate 16.5, Fiber 3.8, Sugar 5.9, Protein 26.7

SEAFOOD GUMBO



Seafood Gumbo image

For most people, the word gumbo immediately conjures the Cajun and Creole cooking of Louisiana. But okra (ngombo in Bantu), for which the soup-stew is named, reached South Carolina with the slave trade some years before Europeans settled in Louisiana, and the Creole world.

Provided by Edna Lewis

Categories     Soup/Stew     Tomato     Mardi Gras     Lunch     Bacon     Crab     Oyster     Shrimp     Okra     Simmer     Gourmet     Sugar Conscious     Dairy Free     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free     No Sugar Added

Yield Makes 8 (main course) servings

Number Of Ingredients 21

1/2 pound bacon, chopped
About 1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 1/2 quarts fish or chicken stock (or a combination)
1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice, drained and chopped
1 pound frozen cut okra (not thawed)
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1 rounded teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 1/2 pound medium shrimp in shell, peeled and deveined
2 dozen shucked oysters with their liquor, oysters picked over for shell fragments
1/2 pound lump crabmeat, picked over
Accompaniments: rice; gumbo filé powder
N/A gumbo filé
N/A powder

Steps:

  • Cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat until browned but not crisp. Transfer bacon to a bowl with a slotted spoon and transfer rendered fat to a heatproof liquid measure, then add enough oil to fat to bring total to 3/4 cup.
  • Stir together fat and flour in skillet with a wooden spoon, then cook roux over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until well browned (a shade darker than peanut butter), about 20 minutes.
  • Add celery, bell pepper, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a 6- to 7-quart pot.
  • Stir in stock, tomatoes, okra, thyme, bay leaf, cayenne, and 2 teaspoons salt and briskly simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.
  • Add parsley, scallions, shrimp, and oysters with their liquor and cook, stirring, until seafood is just cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in crabmeat and bacon and simmer until heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt. Discard bay leaf.

SOUTHERN SEAFOOD GUMBO



Southern Seafood Gumbo image

I tasted a similar dish at a local restaurant and later duplicated it pretty closely. I trimmed it down a bit and no one in my family seemed to mind. -Susan Wright, Champaign, Illinois

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 1h

Yield 12 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery ribs with leaves, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bottle (46 ounces) spicy hot V8 juice
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 package (16 ounces) frozen sliced okra, thawed
1 pound catfish fillets, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3/4 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cups cooked long grain rice

Steps:

  • In a Dutch oven, saute the onion, celery and green pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the V8 juice, tomatoes and cayenne; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. , Stir in okra and catfish; cook 8 minutes longer. Add the shrimp; cook 7 minutes longer or until shrimp turn pink. Place rice in 12 individual serving bowls; top with gumbo.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 180 calories, Fat 5g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 60mg cholesterol, Sodium 512mg sodium, Carbohydrate 22g carbohydrate (7g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 14g protein. Diabetic Exchanges

SEAFOOD GUMBO



Seafood Gumbo image

For many African Americans, seafood gumbo is an essential part of New Year's celebrations. This version, adapted from the chef JJ Johnson, uses celebratory seafood, such as scallops, crab, lobster and shrimp, and includes okra rounds in a nod to his family's southern roots. Mr. Johnson also pulled inspiration from Gullah Geechee cuisine, Native American and West African flavors and Louisiana's culinary traditions for the ultimate melting pot of gumbo. Be sure to make the gumbo spice mix, which adds heat and depth to this luxurious and comforting stew.

Provided by Kayla Stewart

Categories     soups and stews, main course

Time 1h35m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 31

1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon powdered bay leaf (see Tip 1)
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne, or more to taste
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons salted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 small celery stalk, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup dried shrimp (optional; see Tip 2)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
5 cups store-bought or homemade chicken stock
4 ounces fresh or thawed frozen okra, sliced into rounds (1 cup)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 lobster tails, shelled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (optional; see Tip 3)
1/4 pound picked crab meat
1/4 pound sea scallops
1/2 pound medium shrimp
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 cups cooked jasmine rice, for serving

Steps:

  • Make the spice mix: Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir until combined. Set aside 2 tablespoons to add to the gumbo and reserve the rest for another use in an airtight container.
  • Make the gumbo: In a heavy 4- to 5-quart pot, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Once the butter begins to bubble slightly, add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to form a smooth paste.
  • Cook the mixture, stirring continuously, for 10 to 13 minutes to make a chocolate-colored roux. Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the pot to avoid burning. It is important to keep a very close eye on the roux during this step. The roux can go from a nutty color and aroma to burnt beyond repair in a matter of minutes. Lower the heat as needed.
  • Immediately add the onion, garlic, celery, bell pepper and tomatoes and stir well. The vegetables will stop the roux from overcooking and burning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to stick to the pan, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the dried shrimp, if using, tomato paste and 2 tablespoons spice mix and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
  • While whisking, slowly add the stock and whisk until the stock is completely blended with the roux and vegetable mixture. Add the okra, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce and let simmer for 50 minutes over very low heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the lobster, crab, scallops and shrimp and simmer just until cooked through, about 10 minutes more.
  • Season the gumbo to taste with salt and pepper and serve over rice.

Tips for a Perfect Seafood Gumbo for a Crowd:

  • Use a good quality stock: The stock is the base of your gumbo, so it's important to use a good one. A homemade stock is always best, but you can also use a store-bought stock if you're short on time.
  • Don't skimp on the seafood: Seafood is the star of the show in gumbo, so don't be afraid to use a variety of different types. Shrimp, crab, oysters, and crawfish are all classic choices, but you can also use fish, scallops, or lobster.
  • Season your gumbo well: Gumbo is a flavorful dish, so don't be afraid to season it well. Use a variety of spices, including salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
  • Cook your gumbo low and slow: Gumbo is a dish that takes time to develop its flavor, so don't rush the process. Cook your gumbo low and slow, allowing the flavors to meld together.
  • Serve your gumbo with rice: Gumbo is traditionally served with rice, which helps to soak up the delicious broth. You can also serve your gumbo with cornbread or French bread.

Conclusion:

Seafood gumbo is a delicious and hearty dish that's perfect for a crowd. By following these tips, you can make a gumbo that everyone will love. So next time you're looking for a dish to feed a crowd, give seafood gumbo a try!

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