This delicious twist on traditional gumbo incorporates an array of spices in conjunction with sausage, crabmeat, and shrimp.

Serves 8–12

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. In an 8-by-10 rimmed baking sheet, place the bacon in a single layer directly onto the pan.
2. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until crispy, and remove from the oven. Transfer each piece of bacon onto a plate lined with paper towels, and set aside. While the bacon grease is still hot, carefully transfer drippings from the baking sheet to a bowl, and let cool slightly until you’re ready to make the roux.
3. Add the reserved bacon grease to a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, and melt completely. Sprinkling in only a little bit at a time, begin stirring in the flour, mixing well after each addition.
4. Continuously stir the roux for 30 to 35 minutes, until it turns a dark praline color. Remove from the heat, and set aside. This will be used later as the thickening agent to your gumbo broth.
5. Prep all of your vegetables: Peel and chop onion—1 medium-sized onion should yield approximately 1 cup. Then carefully dice green bell pepper, being sure to remove all of the seeds and the stem.
6. Mince 6 cloves of fresh garlic. Lastly, trim off the stem and the bottom edge of the okra, and slice into thin rings.
7. In another medium-size skillet, melt half a stick of butter over medium-low heat. Then add the onions and peppers to the pan, and sauté for 10 minutes until the vegetables become soft. Mix in the prepared okra, and cook for 5 minutes. Toss in the fresh garlic, and simmer for another 30 seconds more before removing the pan from the heat.
8. While the vegetables are heating up, you can begin to prepare the sausage. Cut the smoked meat into ¼-inch chunks, and add them into a large cast-iron Dutch oven. Cook the sausage over medium-low heat until it starts to crisp.
9. Then add in the Worchestershire sauce and 1 cup of chicken broth. Continue to simmer until you have scraped the bottom of the pot to incorporate all of the cooked sausage into the broth.
10. Once the sausage has been incorporated into the broth, you can begin assembling the makings of the gumbo. Add the roux, stirring well to combine. Then add the remaining cups of chicken broth and the sautéed vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, and allow the pot to simmer for an hour over low heat.
11. While this is simmering, use the time to peel and de-vein shrimp. Then add the shrimp and the lump crabmeat to the gumbo, and continue simmering for another 15 minutes longer. As the flavors continue to meld together, cook the rice in a pot of boiling water.
12. As a final touch, serve the gumbo over white rice, and garnish with filé powder. Be sure to keep your leftovers, as they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

This featured recipe has been adapted from the cookbook The Homesick Texan’s Family Table: Lone Star Cooking from My Kitchen to Yours by Lisa Fain (© Ten Speed Press, 2014). For more Lone Star-inspired dishes, pick up your own copy of The Homesick Texan’s Family Table: Lone Star Cooking from My Kitchen to Yours on Amazon.com.