Gumbo Soup-courtesy of Maxine

Today I have a recipe we got in the mail from Brad's mom, Maxine. I love trying new recipes, and I also know that Maxine has great taste. When Brad saw this recipe he was adamant that I cook this as soon as possible.

This recipe was really easy to make, and we happened to have all but a few of the ingredients on hand already. I did have to go to the store to get the clam juice, and gumbo file. Well, I had no idea what gumbo file was. In a case of true iPhone fail, I did not look it up on my phone, and instead left the store without that ingredient. Turns out, gumbo file is the powdered leaves of the sassafras tree. Well, you learn something new everyday! Here are some of the ingredients lined up.

Ingredients:

1 quart clam juice

1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes

1/2 cup of rice (I used jasmine)

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/2 lb of cut okra (I used frozen okra that I thawed)

2 stalks diced celery

1 small chopped green onion

1 diced red pepper

1/2 diced onion

1 diced green bell pepper

1 tsp gumbo file (which as you read above, I did not use. I will definitely add it next time)

1 cup cut up shrimp (I used 31-40 size shrimp, cut each in half)

1 cup cut up scallops

1 mahi mahi fillet, cut up (You can really use any fish for this. I used mahi because I figured it would hold together better than salmon or tailapia)

Put the clam juice in a pot over medium-high heat to bring to a boil. While that is heating, in a medium bowl, add the tomatoes,

Rice,

Tomato sauce,

Yummy, slimy, cut okra,

Green onions,

Red bell pepper,

Onion,

and green bell pepper. This is where you would also add the gumbo file.

The juice wasn't quite simmering, so I started in on the shrimp. I had to shell them, re-clean them to get the remaining vein, then chop them in half.

At that point the juice was bubbling nicely, so I added the tomato and veggie mixture.

That's when I got back to the seafood. Making sure all pieces were roughly the same size to ensure they'd all cook at the same time.

When the rice was a few minutes from being done, I added the seafood.

At this point the recipe says to ass 1 tsp of tobasco. Well, I really like spice in my food, so I added one tbsp of red pepper flakes, and a healthy squirt of Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce. Mmmm, MMM! Also add salt and pepper to taste.

Then cook for about another five minutes, giving time for the fish to cook. I then covered it, took it off the heat, and let it sit so the flavors could blend together a bit more, though you could surely serve it at this time.

Gratuitous cat spam. The cat loves this sweater of her dads. Any time it is left out in the open she has to lay on it. Think it's safe across the back of a bar stool? Not so. I could hear her purring like mad and walked around the counter to find this.

She is not amused by my interruption. But she is not amused by much, except for that sweater of course.

Then it was time to eat. I served this with and artichoke on the side. Because... well... since when does anyone need an excuse to eat a delicious artichoke!?

This soup was hearty, filling, and absolutely delicious. I would highly recommend you try it. This is a good company meal as well. It is impressive and looks a lot more complicated than what it is.

Enjoy!