Gumbolicious

When I left work at 5:00, I attempted to procure some variety of shellfish for my roasted gumbo experiment and they had nothing. Not even the little pre-boiled crawfish that have been shocked into submission. Thank you again, Landlocked State. I picked up a can of baby clams (bleghck) just to get the seafood taste into the broth that I hoped to reap from roasting the shells. They had everything else I needed, which I gathered, went home, did an hour of yoga, then threw this stewtastic bonanza into the oven. Here's how I did it:

Baked Gumbo

First I chopped my veggies:

1 Red Bell Pepper

3 Celery Stalks

1/2 Sweet White Onion

2 Garlic Cloves

1 Jalapeno

Add pre-chopped Okra (two big handfuls), EVOO, and S&P. Cover it and let it saute', stirring occasionally until the veg is getting soft and starting to glisten.

Parcook 2 cups of Brown Rice

Season or marinate your Chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces. (I rubbed mine with lemon pepper seasoning and drenched in lime juice for some acid.)

Peel and detail the Shrimp

Drain Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, reserve the liquid

Slice 2 or 3 Andouille Sausage Links on a bias

Combine sausage, rice, chicken, shrimp, veg, seafood (in this case, clams), and tomatoes in a baking dish. Including the liquid from the tomatoes, measure about 2 cups of liquid to add to the pan as well; I used Chicken Broth to make up the difference.

Now start your roux:

Add 1/4 cup Vegetable or Canola Oil to a hot pan

When the oil is hot but not bubbling, add a scoop of Flour and stir constantly

Keep it moving, don't let it burn

When it is smooth and turning a nice brown, add it to your baking dish. It will make a satisfying hissing and popping sound. Feel free to dance.

Season the Pan:

Cajun Seasoning

Red Pepper Flakes

Granulated Garlic

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

Smoked Paprika

Mix it all together and pop it in the oven for about 30 minutes. I didn't cover it this time but if some shellfish had been invited to the party, I would've done so. Make sure your chicken is cooked all the way through before taking it out of the oven; it will be done last. Cover it and let it rest on your counter for 15-20 minutes before serving. Bon appetit!