IT'S MARDI GRAS TIME....MAKIN' DA' GUMBO

The Way We Were

 

Yep! There she is....Home Sweet Home!

 

The Year was 1971

 

She was a recent graduate of LSU.  She had landed a job as a medical staff writer at Touro University in New Orleans. Life was grand. She leased an apartment above the bar then known as Maxwell's Plum. They spent many lazy hot days relaxing in a hammock on the balcony. The parties were simply festive, wine was plentiful and love was young.

 

 

Going back, we see that Maxwell's Plum is no longer there. Oh, the downstairs is still a bar, but the ambiance has changed somewhat. It has lost it's luster, it's appeal. She is not sure she would live there again, but it does hold secrets and many memories.

We drove down from Ole Miss and probably rolled onto Burgundy street a little after 10 PM. Joe B. was standing on the balcony with a Dixie beer in hand. Now the best way to describe Joe, was if you can picture a young Steve McQueen......oh yeah, he was THAT good-looking. He yelled at us from above.."Hey! Y'all come on up! It's pahty time!" (he had the most alluring Cajun accent) And indeed it was.......Joe is now in his 80's. I cannot think about that...years go by too quickly now...if you love New Orleans, she will love you back!

 

Time to make Da' Gumbo

 

First you make da' roux

 

Estelle's Seafood Gumbo

12 ounces package of bacon
6 T. flour
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup of celery, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
16 ounce package of frozen, sliced okra, thawed
14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
12 ounce can chicken broth
8 ounce bottle of clam juice
1/2 cup fresh parsley
2 Bay Leaves
2 1/4 t. Creole seasoning
1/2 t. salt
1 lb. peeled large shrimp
1/2 lb. fresh lump crabmeat
Hot Cooked Rice

 

Cut bacon into one-inch pieces. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Reserve the drippings. Cover and chill bacon until the gumbo is done. Whisk flour into drippings and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until roux is caramel-colored (about 15 minutes). Add onion and next three ingredients, cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring constantly.



Transfer vegetable mixture into a 4 quart crockpot, stir in okra and next seven ingredients. Cover and slow cook for 6 hours. Add shrimp and crabmeat and cook on high heat for one hour. Discard bay leaves. Serve gumbo over freshly cooked rice.

Penny at http://thecomfortsofhome.blogspot.com/ invited me to share this post with her Tasty Tuesday Party.......pop over to Penny's lovely blog for some fabulous and delicious recipes today!

 http://thecomfortsofhome.blogspot.com/