Spicy Shrimp & Beef Sausage Gumbo

As I write up this post, I keep getting distracted by watching House of Cards, but I really need to post something!  House of Cards, watch it.

Going to New Orleans in a few weeks and as I looked up restaurants and things to do, I kept running across gumbo on restaurant menus.  Well, hello there craving!  Might as well get the NOLA party started in our stomachs!

This recipe is quick, hearty, and spicy. A very big taste of Cajun!

Truth be told, I kind of just threw whatever I had into the pot. Like all my recipes, you can delete or add any sort of meat, or add additional vegetables.

Spicy Shrimp & Beef Sausage Gumbo

1 tbs. vegetable oil

1 cup sliced beef sausage, preferably organic to keep it clean
1 sliced jalapeno, with/without seeds/membrane (controls spice level)
1 tbs. butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 small onion, diced
1 large bell pepper, diced
2 ribs celery, sliced
2 tbs. minced garlic
3 cups seafood broth
1/2 lb okra, sliced
1 large tomato, diced
2 bay leaves
red chili flakes
1 tbs. dried parsley
sea salt
black pepper
hot sauce
1 tsp. Worcestershire
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
cajun seasoning
dark chili powder

Toss shrimp with cajun seasoning and dark chili powder. Set aside.

Heat a large cast iron, or regular, pot over medium heat.  Add vegetable oil.  Once hot, add sausage slices and jalapenos. Cook until the sausage has browned.  Scoop out the sausage and jalapenos and set aside in a bowl.

To the same pot with sausage drippings, add the butter. Sprinkle in flour and whisk continuously until it smells nutty and turns a dark brown color.  This is your roux!  Keep a close eye on it.  It can go from a dark, pretty color to burned within seconds.

Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and celery.  Make them nice and coated in the roux and cook until vegetables have softened a bit.

Add broth and whisk to dissolve the roux.  Add in the okra, tomatoes, bay leaves, chili flakes, parsley, sea salt, black pepper, a few dashes of hot sauce, and Worcestershire.  Feel free to taste and add seasonings as you wish.  If you are new to my blog, I do not add measurements for seasoning.  I realize this is a huge blogger faux paux.

Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.  Add sausage and stir.  Cover pot and let cook for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.  Use this time to cook up your rice of choice.  We cooked brown basmati rice.

After 30 minutes of simmering, add the seasoned shrimp to the gumbo, stir, and cover pot.  Cook until the shrimp has turned opaque.  Once cooked, check for seasoning.

Serve over rice and let your taste buds be transported to the great city of New Orleans!  Enjoy!