BF's Shellfish and Andouille Gumbo

Serves over rice or with cornbread on the side.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into thin rounds
2 small ribs celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely diced
1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
6 to 8 cups shrimp stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 T honey
freshly chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish
freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Seafood:
1/4 cup canola oil
12 scallops
12 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails on
18 shucked oysters
6 ounces lump crabmeat

Crispy Okra:
canola oil
1/2 pound okra, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for shrimp stock:
3 cups raw shrimp shells and tails
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
1/2 medium celery stalk
6 cups water
1 cup white wine
1 medium fresh tomato, or 1/2 cup canned plum tomatoes
1 bay leaf

Preparing the shrimp stock:
In a large saucepan over high heat, heat the oil until amost smoking and saute the shrimp shells and tails, onion, carrot and celery for 5 minutes, stirring. Add the water, wine, tomato and bay leaf. Reduce to medium, partly cover, and simmer 40 minutes.

Strain though cheesecloth or a fine strainer.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the gumbo base:
Heat a medium skillet over high heat. Add the andouille and cook until golden brown on both sides. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Do not drain. In the same pan, cook the celery, carrots, onion, bell pepper and garlic until soft.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Gradually add the flour, stirring occasionally. Cook the mixture (roux) until it's a light-caramel color, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onion mixture and cook for about 3 minutes, without stirring.

Bring the stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Whisk in about 6 cups of the stock into the roux mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, add the andouille sausage and continue simmering for about 20 minutes, add more stock if the mixture is too thick. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

* * * * * *

Preparing the seafood:
Heat 2 tablespoon of the oil in a large saute pan, over high heat until almost smoking. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and sear the scallops, on one side, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove and set aside on a plate.

Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining olive oil. Heat over medium-high until almost smoking. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and cook until just pink, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and set aside with the scallops.

Add the scallops, shrimp, oysters and crab to the sauce and continue cooking until oysters are plump and cooked.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the crispy okra:
Heat 2-inches of canola oil in a high sided saute pan over medium heat until it begins to shimmer. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

Place the cornmeal in a shallow baking dish and season with salt and pepper.

Season the okra with salt and pepper and toss in the cornmeal. Fry the okra, in batches, until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to the baking sheet and season with salt.

* * * * * *

Serving the gumbo:
Divide the seafood among 4 shallow bowls, ladle in some of the sauce and sausage and add the honey and garnish with the fried okra and chopped parsley and cilantro.

Serves 6