Commander's Palace Seafood Gumbo - it's not in the cookbook

[Paul Tepper]

After many years of enjoying the Commander's Place cookbooks, I was got lucky and was able to eat there. The seafood gumbo, which was the gumbo de jour when I went, is not the gumbo in their cookbooks. It was richer, perhaps with either double stock or a touch of booze. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Big thanks!

Paul

[Harry]

When I make seafood gumbo, I always first make a stock from the shrimp heads and shells and frozen crabs. If I'm making gumbo with three pounds of shrimp, I put all the heads (important) and shells in a pot with six thawed (purchased frozen) crabs. I add just enough water to cover and simmer for half an hour or so. After I add the stock to the gumbo pot, I add another six whole crabs and let them simmer in the pot until it's ready, which is usually a few hours. I add a lot of stock and cook it down for a long time, which really makes for a strong-tasting pot of gumbo. Try that and I don't think you'll be disappointed.