Shrimp Okra Gumbo with Quinoa

One thing i love doing is cooking and eating healthy foods. In Louisiana, gumbo is a popular dish and you can have it so many ways. I guess that is why i love this southern state because you have so many diverse foods that are so simple to make. Growing up I would see my grandmother cooking gumbo all the time when she was expecting out of town guest. I would asked her, "Grandma what makes Gumbo so special because i see you cook it all the time for your guest?"  And she would reply, "Child gumbo warms the heart and satisfies the soul. These people have been traveling for a long time and i know their souls need some satisfaction. Just wait and you will see their faces will light up like Christmas lights on a Christmas tree after eating grandma’s gumbo." 

So, i would wait for hours for her company to come in just so I could see their faces light up. It’s so funny when I think about this because I would try so hard not to stare at them while they were eating, but I just had to because it was the only way for me to see their faces light up like Christmas lights. And when they would arrive and they took their first sip of her amazing gumbo their faces would light up with pleasure and they would say, "Good Lawd This Is Good; You must have thrown your kitchen towel in this, girl." Shaking their heads from side to side in disbelief that something so simple like this can taste so good, and licking their fingers as they dip them gently into the highly season gumbo juice to tear a piece of chicken meat from their chicken bones.  While softly saying Mmmmm as they ate.

So, I guess grandma was right after all…Gumbo does warm the heart and satisfies the soul because that was the first time I saw the magic of eating gumbo. If you are wondering what magic I am taking about it was the magic of producing a warm smile and a bright face.  

So Happy Gumbo!!!!

Ingredients: Gumbo

2 pounds Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cup flour

4 cups smothered okra

2 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped bell pepper

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

1/4 cup garlic

1/2 cup parsley

13 cups water or shrimp stock

Cayenne pepper (you decide on how much)

1 tsp. black pepper 

garlic powder (you decide on how much)

1 tbsp. chili powder

salt to taste

Preparing Smothered Okra:

Smothered Okra is a South Louisiana favorite and it can be eaten many ways but today it's the star of this shrimp okra gumbo.

1/3 cup olive oil

1 cup of fresh chopped seasoning (contains onions, bell peppers, onion tops, and parsley)

Garlic Powder (you decide on how much)

salt & black pepper (you decide on how much)

1 tbsp. italian Seasoning

1 tsp. honey

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 8oz can tomato sauce or tomato paste

2 capful of apple cider vinegar (suppress the slim)

3 cups water

Add the olive oil to a hot pot. Add the okra and the apple cider vinegar and sauté until sliminess begins to disappear. Add the chopped seasoning and cook until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes and continue to sauté for about an hour stirring every few minutes. Add remainder of ingredients and continue to cook for 30 minutes stirring frequently. Cover the pot. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally. If you need to add more water to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot please add. Cook until okra is tender and has broken up. We like our okra to be non- noticeable in the gumbo so i cook mine for a long time about hour and half until all the water has evaporated out. 

Preparing Gumbo:

In a Dutch oven pot or cast iron pot, heat the oil over medium heat and than sprinkle the flour using a wire whisk or wooden spoon to mix. Constantly stirring until the flour reach a golden brown. Once roux is golden brown add the vegetables (onion, bell peppers, and garlic). Stir until vegetables are wilted. Next, Add the smothered okra to the mix and stir. Incorporating all the ingredients. Add the water, constantly stirring.  Bring to a simmer and simmer gently for 45 minutes. Using a clean ladle, occasionally skim any impurities or foam that rises to the top of the gumbo. Season the shrimp. Add the shrimp, stir well, and cook until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Serve immediately with quinoa or rice.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!