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Lamp Lighter’s Seafood and Sausage Gumbo
The Lamplighter was a legendary New Orleans restaurant that closed in the 1980s, but a few of their recipes still live on. This is my version of their
Seafood Gumbo.
4 red bell peppers, finely chopped
2 bunches spring onions, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 good handful parsley, chopped
1 stick butter
2 pounds andouille or other hot smoked sausage, sliced thin
2 cups vegetable oil
1 can peeled tomatoes
4 bay leaves
1 1/2 pound cut okra
1 3/4 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon creole seasoning
1teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon thyme
5 quarts chicken stock
1 pound crabsmeat (NOT fake crab!)
2 pounds shrimp peeled and cleaned
11/2pounds crawfish tails
Combine 1 1/2 cups oil and 1 3/4 cups flour in a heavy bottomed pan over low heat and stir constantly until the flour thickens and turns light brown.
Add more flour if needed to absorb the oil and make a smooth paste. It may take 20 minutes or more, but be patient and careful - if the flour burns you'll ruin the gumbo. The best way to time a light roux is it
should cook for the time it takes you to drink a cold beer.The darker the roux, the darker the gumbo. Set aside.
Saute peppers, onions, garlic and parsley in butter. In another pan, saute sausage in 1/2 cup oil, then add to the skillet with the peppers, onions,
garlic and parsley along with tomatoes and bay leaves. Let simmer. In the sausage pan, saute okra in 1/2 cup oil. Now, add everything except the shrimp and crawfish to the main pot. Simmer for about an hour.
When the vegetables and chicken are done, reduce heat, add the roux and simmer slowly to thicken to desired consistency. Taste, adjust the seasoning,
and add the shrimp and crawfish. Turn off the heat and simmer with the lid on for 5 minutes to cook the shrimp and crawfish.
Serve over rice garnished with green onions.
(c) 2002 Rick McDaniel
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