A Day in the Life of an Artist...with Gumbo

There are numerous (like a zillion!) recipes out there for Gumbo, I've tried many of them but they were just not quite right. In my mind, right was the gumbo they served at Joe Dale's Cajun House in Atlanta in the 1970-80's. Did any of my readers ever go there? I'd like to get the recipe for their Seafood Patsy - I have not found it yet. Send it to me if you know it! PLEASE.

The recipe I use is from the Williams Sonoma Cookbook titled "The Essential Recipe Collection for Today's Home Cook" 2008. I searched Google to get a link to the exact recipe: they publish a bunch of different versions, but not this one. This link gets you pretty close to my favorite: https://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/spicy-seafood-and-sausage-gumbo.html

Artist's Tip: Take the easy route- omit the crab - use 1.5 lbs. cooked rotisserie chicken. Use chicken stock plus some fish stock if you have fish stock, otherwise default to some clam juice or just chicken stock. Make the soup according to the recipe without any of the meat yet, simmer it for about 20 minutes, then add in the already cooked sausage and chicken, heat it through. Stop at this point if you are not serving it that same day, and refrigerate/freeze it. Then when ready to serve, reheat it to a nice simmer and add the shrimp at that point and let them cook until done - pink.

If you are going to serve it immediately, add the shelled raw shrimp and simmer until the shrimp are done and don't over cook. THE KEY STEP is to pre cook/sauté the okra with ZERO water so its not gooey.

This makes plenty for 6-8 people, or as we do here in Maui, I freeze half and it gives me more time to paint vs. cook!

Here is what I finished when I did not have to do much cooking last week: a 16 x 20 oil painting of Kamaole Beach...

I'd love it if you'd share your favorite recipe with me. Like my Maui photo contests, you see things that I don't, so I love to see your images, and now, any great favorite go-to recipes will be well received! Mahalo!

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#Mauiartist #Lovestocook #gumbo one of her favorites. #Memories of great food drove her to find the #Bestrecipe that is close to the one she ate at #Joedales #cajunhouse.