Scallop Gumbo

Name: Scallop Gumbo
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Cuisine: cajun, creole
Ingredients: 1/4 cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons butter; 1/3 cup flour; 1 onion, chopped; 1 green bell pepper, chopped; 2 celery stalks, chopped; 2 tablespoons minced garlic; Salt; black pepper; 2 to 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock, or water; 2 cups chopped tomatoes with their juice (canned are fine); 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried; 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried; 2 bay leaves; Cayenne to taste; 1 pound scallops; Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

By Mark Bittman

Total Time: 1 hour
Rating: 5(728)
Comments: Read comments

Gumbo is like many regional dishes: there are nearly as many interpretations as there are cooks. Most include the common Louisiana trinity of vegetables: green peppers, celery and onion. Some include meat, often a spicy sausage like andouille, in addition to or in place of shellfish. And while some gumbos rely on okra as a thickener, others use a roux, a combination of flour and fat cooked until brown and tasty.

What I like about this gumbo is that it borrows a little from many approaches to create a lighter, more contemporary dish: a one-pot meal that’s ideal for any occasion calling for a crowd-pleaser.

Featured in: No Oxymoron: A Lighter Gumbo

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

¼cup olive oil
2tablespoons butter
⅓cup flour
1onion, chopped
1green bell pepper, chopped
2celery stalks, chopped
2tablespoons minced garlic
Salt
black pepper
2 to 3cups vegetable or chicken stock, or water
2cups chopped tomatoes with their juice (canned are fine)
1tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
1tablespoon fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
2bay leaves
Cayenne to taste
1pound scallops
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

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Step 1
Put oil and butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. When butter is melted, add flour and cook, stirring almost constantly, until roux darkens and becomes fragrant, about 15 to 20 minutes; as it cooks, adjust heat as necessary to keep mixture from burning. Add onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic and raise heat to medium. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables have softened, about 10 more minutes.
Step 2
Stir in the stock, tomatoes, thyme, oregano, bay leaves and cayenne. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat so soup bubbles steadily. Cook for about 20 minutes or until flavors meld. Add scallops and cook until they are no longer translucent, about 2 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve, garnished with parsley.

Ratings

5 out of 5

728 user ratings

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Comments

Lee Jordan-Anders7 years ago

This was delicious! I forgot to buy celery at the grocery store, but had half of a left-over fennel bulb so substituted it. I think it worked just fine, perhaps even more interesting than the celery. I'll definitely make this again. I've always loved cooking the roux part of a gumbo--so much fun to stand at the stove w/a glass of wine in one hand, whisk in the other, tending the roux.

MBH7 years ago

Looking for a new treatment of scallops, I found this recipe. Unbelievably delicious. It takes time and attention, but worth it.

Larry6 years ago

A healthy take on a New Orleans tradition. To keep it on point health wise use veggie stock (vs. chicken). And for the absolute best taste grab a 28oz can of San Marzano Whole Peeled Tomatoes and crush by hand.

AWriteWord1 month ago

I made this for Girls' Night last night with a few modifications. I included a pound of incredibly smoky andouille sausage and a tablespoon of gumbo file powder. But the absolute kicker, was the jar of pickled okra that I chopped and added at the end with the scallops to give it a nice vinegar balance to the richness of the roux and sausage. Everyone loved it. I'll definitely make it again.

anita2 months ago

I enjoyed making it. it's cooking now- can't wat. I had all the ingredients too.

Karen6 months ago

I used 14:5 can fire roasted tomatoes, 14:5 can cherry tomatoes, half chopped jalapeño and doubled the celery and pepper! Delicious on rice!

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