Here’s a shortcut version of a Southern favorite — Gumbo Soup. It’s comfort food that can take hours to make. This gumbo captures the flavor without the hours.
The key to good gumbo is cooking the oil and flour together to form a rich, light brown roux. This gives the gumbo its distinctive flavor. Okra gives gumbo its texture. When cooked, okra gives off a thick liquid that acts as a thickener for soups and sauces.
Helpful hints:
• Frozen okra can be substituted for fresh.
• Frozen diced onion and green bell pepper are used to shorten preparation time.
• Minced garlic can be found in the produce section of the market.
Countdown:
• Make gumbo.
• While gumbo cooks, make rice.
Shopping list:
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for tonight’s Dinner in Minutes.
To buy: 3/4 pound shelled and deveined large shrimp, 1/4 pound okra,1 bag frozen diced onion, 1 bag frozen diced green bell pepper, 1 bag frozen corn kernels, 1 bag frozen lima beans, 1 bunch celery, 1 bottle minced garlic, 1 small bottle dried thyme, 1 can low-sodium diced tomatoes, 1 package microwave white rice, 1 bottle Worcestershire sauce,1 bottle hot pepper sauce
Staples: vegetable oil spray, canola oil, flour, salt and black peppercorns.
Shrimp Gumbo
Vegetable oil spray
1/4 pound okra, thinly sliced
1 cup frozen diced onion
1 cup frozen diced green bell pepper
1 cup sliced celery
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups canned low-sodium diced tomatoes with the juice
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup frozen lima beans, thawed
3/4 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 package microwave white rice to make 1 1/2 cups cooked
For the table:
Worcestershire sauce
Hot pepper sauce
Heat a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and spray with vegetable oil spray. Add okra, onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic. Saute 5 minutes. Remove vegetables to a bowl and set aside. Add oil, then flour to the skillet. Blend well and cook slowly until flour is a rich brown color. Add water, little by little, stirring to remove any lumps. Bring to a simmer. Add thyme and tomatoes and return vegetables to the pan with the corn and lima beans. Simmer 5 minutes. Add shrimp, cook 2 minutes. Cover and remove from heat. Let sit while you make the rice. Microwave rice according to package instructions. Add salt and pepper to taste to the gumbo. Divide rice into 2 large soup bowls and serve the gumbo on top. Serve Worcestershire and hot pepper sauce at the table.
Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 638 calories (28 percent from fat) 20.2 g fat (1.8 g saturated, 11.6 g monounsaturated), 276 mg cholesterol, 44.3 g protein, 74.8 g carbohydrates, 10.4 g fiber, 365 mg sodium.
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