Fish and Seafood Recipes - New Orleans Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients                 

• 25 g/1 oz/ 2 tbsp butter

• 175 g/6 oz okra, cut into 1 cm/1/2 in pieces

• 1 bunch of spring onions (scallions), chopped

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 1 small green (bell) pepper, diced

• 15 ml/1 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour

• 120 ml/4 fl oz/1/2 cup passata (sieved tomatoes)

• 30 ml/2 tbsp tomato puree (paste)

• 450 ml/2 cups chicken stock

• 1 bay leaf

• 15 ml/1 tbsp chopped parsley

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1.5 ml/1/4 tsp chili powder

• 6-12 oysters

• 225 g/8 oz/2 cups peeled prawns (shrimp)

• 225 g/8 oz/2 cups crabmeat

• 350 g/12 oz/1 1/2 cups long-grain rice

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Method:

1. Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the okra, spring onions, garlic and green pepper and fry (sauté) for 3 minutes until softened.

2. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Blend in the passata, tomato puree and stock. Add the seasonings and simmer very gently for 1 1/2 hours.

3. Carefully remove the oysters from their shells, reserving the juice. Add to the pan with the prawns and crab.

4. Simmer for a further 20 minutes until thick and a rich color and discard the bay leaf.

5. Meanwhile, cook the rice in plenty of boiling salted water until tender. Drain, rinse with boiling water and drain again.

6. Fluff up with a fork. Spoon the rice into large howls and spoon the gumbo on top.