Duck, Andouille, and Shrimp Gumbo
Yield
serves 4-6
RECIPE Ingredients
For the Gumbo
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon duck fat
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 small green pepper, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 ribs of celery, sliced
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning (recipe follows)
- ¼ teaspoon celery seed
- 3 cups shellfish stock or chicken stock, hot
- 2 links andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
- 4 oz tasso ham, chopped
- 1 lb large shelled shrimp with tails
- 2 Rohan duck breast, without the skin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Hot sauce to taste
- 2 cups cooked rice
- Sliced scallions
- Filé powder (optional)
- Chopped parsley for garnish
For the Creole Seasoning
- 2½ teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon thyme
Recipe notes
This Louisiana-style stew is intensely flavorful with its combination of duck breast, andouille sausage, shrimp, and tasso ham. It is served over rice, but would also be delicious with grits.
RECIPE Preparation
- To make the Creole seasoning, simply combine all ingredients thoroughly and put in a spice jar.
- Heat the duck fat in a skillet and add the flour. At medium heat, stir for about 5 minutes until the flour is a light caramel color. Lower the heat and stir regularly until the mixture is a dark caramel color, about 30 minutes. Do not walk away. It can burn quickly.
- Add the chopped vegetables (the Holy Trinity in Lousiana cuisine) and garlic to the mixture and saute at medium-low heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring, then add 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning and celery seed.
- Heat the stock. An optional tip when using chicken stock: if the shrimp have shells, remove the shells and cook them with the stock for about 20 minutes to impart flavor, then strain the stock and toss the shells.
- Slowly pour the hot stock into the mixture, stirring as you add. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the chopped andouille and tasso ham and cook another 5 minutes. At this point either reserve the mixture for use later (the flavor will deepen overnight) or proceed.
- Heat a pan with 1 tablespoon of duck fat. Salt and season the duck with 2 teaspoons of Creole seasoning. When the pan is hot, sauté the duck breasts for 1 - 2 minutes on each side, leaving them very rare.
- Add the duck breasts to the gumbo stock and cook for a few minutes, then add raw shrimp to the pan and cook for several minutes more until the shrimp are pink. Taste and add salt and paper as needed.
- Slice the duck breast and serve individually or on a platter with rice or grits, chopped parsley, and sliced scallions. Sprinkle with filé if using. This spice is made from sassafras leaves and is a traditional ingredient in gumbo. Hot sauce can be served on the side.
