SPICY RED FILE-THICKENED GUMBO WITH CRAWFISH AND ANDOUILLE

Spicy Red File-Thickened Gumbo with Crawfish and Andouille image

Provided by Food Network

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 29

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1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds shelled crawfish tails (or 2 pounds shelled shrimp)
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup flour
1/4 cup minced garlic
2 cups minced celery
2 cups minced onions
1 cup minced green pepper
1 cup minced red bell pepper
1 cup minced scallions or green onions
2 quarts plus 1 cup crawfish stock, shrimp stock, or bottled clam juice
2 (28-ounce) cans tomatoes
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 cloves
1/2 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce, or to taste
1 pound andouille sausage, cut in 1/4-inch slices
1 to 2 tablespoons file powder
cooked rice as accompaniment
whole, boiled crawfish (if available) for garnish

Steps:

In a bowl blend together the crawfish seasoning mixture. Add the crawfish tails, and reserve in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. Make the gumbo: Place the vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. When it's smoking, add the flour, about 1/3 at a time, whisking well after each addition. Cook over fairly high heat, whisking constantly, until the roux reaches a dark, reddish brown, about 10 minutes. If the roux seems about to burn (you'll start to notice a burning smell), move the pan off the heat for a few minutes continuing to whisk. When the roux is ready, add the garlic, onions, celery, bell peppers, and scallions. Place the pan over low heat, and cook the vegetables in the roux for 5 minutes. Bring the stock to a boil in a large soup pot. When the vegetables have cooked in the roux, add the roux-vegetable mixture to the boiling stock by 1/4 cupfuls, blending well. Crush the tomatoes in your hands, and add them, along with the liquid in the cans, to the soup pot. Add the bay leaves, thyme, oregano, allspice, cayenne, cloves, hot sauce and lemon juice. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for20 minutes, partially covered. Add the andouille and simmer the gumbo for another 20 minutes, partially covered. Add the seasoned crawfish tails, and simmer for 5 minutes. Off the heat, blend in the file powder, blending until the desired thickness is reached. Taste for seasoning. Serve immediately over rice. Garnish with the whole, boiled crawfish.;