Shrimp & Andouille Sausage Gumbo

Gumbo is a Creole stew from Louisiana, which takes advantage of the “Holy Trinity” of Southern cooking - celery, bell peppers, and onions. Traditional gumbos typically incorporate some type of poultry, smoked pork, and shellfish, but this recipe only calls for shrimp and andouille sausage, and is thickened with okra instead of a dark roux. This gumbo has a noticeably greater concentration of vegetables than most others, but this is strictly a matter of personal preference. You can play around with the proportions as much as you like - if you like the way it smells, that’s a good indication that you’re on the right track!

Directions:
1 lb okra
2 tbsp olive oil
8 oz andouille sausage
20 oz canned whole, peeled tomatoes, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
½ cup chopped celery
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tsp salt
½ tsp cayenne pepper
2-3 bay leaves
2 tbsp chopped jalapeno
12 oz vegetable stock
1 lb medium shrimp
1-2 tbsp Old Bay seasoning

1. Wash the okra; trim the stems and tips and cut into ¼” rounds.
2. Heat olive in a large pot, over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and stir often, to render out the fat, for about 5 minutes. Add the okra, stirring constantly, for 10-12 minutes, or until most of the slime is gone.
3. Add the canned tomatoes (including their juice), onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Stir for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and the okra slime has completely disappeared. Add the salt, cayenne pepper, bay leaves, jalapeño, and vegetable stock.
4. Season the shrimp in a separate bowl with a generous coating of Old Bay. Reduce heat to medium, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Serve over long-grained, white rice, with a few liberal splashes of Frank’s for extra heat.