Seafood Gumbo w/ smoked Andouille sausage

Here's my Seafood Gumbo recipe.  I put this together about 25 yrs ago, I have tweaked  it very little since then.  I had to lower the pepper content so that my Yankee friends could handle it, lol. It's very authentic & as good if not better that most you'll find.  Cajun food pushes the seasonings to the limit, ensuring to give you the most robust eating experience possible; I get a lot of compliments with this dish!  I hope you enjoy!

Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs raw shrimp (35-40 ct) w/shells (& heads if available), deveined & peeled
• 1/2 lb scallops, marble sized
• 1 can white lump crab meat (or fresh soft shell if available) 
• 5 cups Seafood Stock (instructions below)
• 1/2 lb Andouille smoked sausage (or good smoked polish) sliced & cut into 1/2 moon pieces
• 1 stick of margarine
• 2 1/2 cups diced yellow onion (vadalia if available)
• 2 cups diced green bell pepper
• 2 cups diced celery
• 1 tbs minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp red pepper
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 3 tbs gumbo file'
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
• 1/4 tsp dried sweat basil
• 1 bay leaf, crumbled
• 1.5 tbs Garlic powder
• 1.5 tbs Onion powder
• 1-1/4 tsp salt
• 1-1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 4 tsp Tabasco sauce
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes (canned)
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 4-5 cups cooked rice 
• 6 tbs modest dark roux ( Roux instructions )

Seafood stock;

Using large pot, boil 7 cups of water with shrimp shells (? heads) & all (liquids from canned crab & scallops) for about an hr., boiling down level to about 5 cups.  Strain out shells, & if necessary, may add enough water to bring level up to the necessary 5 cups!

Instructions;

A.) Using at least a 4 qt pot, melt 1 stick of margarine, then add:

• 2 1/2 cups diced yellow onion (vidalia if available)
• 2 cups diced green bell pepper
• 2 cups diced celery
• 1 tbs minced garlic

B.) & saute' on high for 10 min.s, then add the following combined spices:

• 1/2 tsp red pepper
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 3 tbs gumbo file'
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
• 1/4 tsp dried sweat basil
• 1 bay leaf, crumbled
• 1-1/4 tsp salt
• 1-1/2 tsp sweet paprika

C.) & saute' on high for 10 min.s, stirring constantly, then add;

• 1 cup crushed tomatoes (canned)
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 4 tsp Tabasco sauce

D) & simmer on medium for 15 min.s, stirring constantly.
E) Add 6 tbs. of a modest dark roux & 1 cup of the seafood stock, stirring constantly until thoroughly mixed; then proceed to step #1 below.
( Roux instructions )

1. Add 5 cups, or the remaining seafood stock "on medium high" & slowly bring to a boil, stirring lightly. 
2. Then reduce heat to low & simmer for 30 min.s, stirring every 5-10 min.s or so. 
3. Next, in a frying pan, brown the smoked sausage, then add it to the gumbo.  
4. Seafood cooks very quickly, so bring the gumbo back to a boil, then add all the seafood & give it a quick stir, then cover & remove from heat.  Leave set for 15 min.s, to poach the seafood!
5. Spoon 1 heaping cup of gumbo over 1/2 cup of cooked rice & serve with lots of french bread! 

Feeds 6 - 8 people when served with french bread; 8 - 10 people when severed with salad, french bread & corn on the cob.  (about 45 min.s prep time, around 2 1/2 hrs total.)

Enjoy!!  Todd