Shrimp & Andouille Sausage Gumbo

Happy Mardi Gras!

Ok, that was yesterday, and I also have no clue if people actually say “happy Mardi Gras“. Most likely they do not. Either way, let’s make some gumbo?

I’ve never made this before but I wanted to give it a shot. I also recently watched that movie Girls Trip and it takes place in New Orleans, so I guess my Cajun cravings were very real. I poked around online and found a few recipes that I took some notes from, but mainly gave this my own tweaks.

For example, I used already cooked andouille sausage. Personally, I’m sure browning it first in a separate pan gives it a nice additional flavor, but I was a little lazy and didn’t feel like dirtying another pan, so I went with already cooked and guess what? Still delicious. There are also so many brands now that make them, I used Aidells Cajun Style Andouille Pork Sausage.

Another note: when making the roux with the flour, make sure you give it some time to brown and get all crusty on the vegetables. I know you’re thinking “but it’s sticking to the bottom of the pot!” but that’s ok. Once you add in your broth, you’ll scrape up those bits and it will make a smooth, velvety base for your gumbo. Trust the crust.

And speaking of broth – I used chicken and beef broth (mostly chicken though), but a lot of people like to use shrimp broth (if you can find it or make your own). I personally don’t love an overpowering shrimp flavor, so that’s why I used chicken broth. This is all about your preference.

For the rice, I used Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice to serve on the bottom of the gumbo. It’s easy and in my opinion, the rice isn’t the star of the show anyway. Save time where you can. That’s my motto.

Shrimp & Andouille Sausage Gumbo

1 lb shrimp, cleaned and deveined
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)
1/2 of a large red bell pepper, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
4 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
6 oz (2 links) Andouille Sausage, cut into 1-inch thick pieces
1 tsp Kosher salt
Chopped scallions for garnish

Directions

Remove the tails from the shrimp. Season the shrimp with a bit of salt and pepper, onion powder, a tbsp of the fresh garlic, and thyme. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Bring a heavy-bottomed stock or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Add onion, celery, and red bell pepper. Stir frequently and cook for 5 minutes until fragrant and onions are getting translucent.
Add the flour slowly, stirring constantly and cook until the flour starts to get brown in color, about 4-5 minutes. Don’t worry if it sticks to the bottom of the pan.
Add tomato paste, cayenne, and paprika, stir together. If it looks too dry, add another tbsp of olive oil, then add garlic and stir constantly, cooking for another minute. Be careful and don’t let the garlic burn!
Add the chicken and beef broth and stir together, scraping up any of those floury bits on the bottom. Add the sausage and lower the heat slightly. Let simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally, until sauce starts to bubble and thicken.
While the sauce is simmering, take out the shrimp and a few minutes before serving, add the shrimp. They will cook within a minute or two – they’ll curl up and turn pink. Add the tsp of salt and stir together. Serve immediately over rice or plain, top with chopped scallions and enjoy!