3 recipes to celebrate National Gumbo Day

Happy National Gumbo Day! Check out some of these award-winning gumbo recipes from Houston's top restaurants.

Main Kitchen "MK Gumbo"

MK Gumbo, which is chock full of smoked sausage and spicy andouille sausage, twice won the People's Choice Award in an annual gumbo competition. Grab yourself a bowl at Main Kitchen at J.W. Marriott in Downtown.

Ingredients

3/4 cup dark roux

2 gallon smoked bone stock

1 pulled smoked chicken

3/4 andouille sausage diced

2 large onions diced

4 bell peppers diced

1 bunch celery diced

3 cups MK gumbo spice

3 cups wild rice

2 green onions chiffonade

Directions:

1. In large stock pot brown andouille sausage. Once the fat starts to render down remove sausage from pot.

2. Add onions, bell peppers and celery. Saute down in sausage fat until it start to caramelize. Add sausage back to pot. Reduce heat to medium and stir for five minutes.

3. Add one gallon of smoked bone stock to pot. Bring to a low boil. Whisk in three cups MK Gumbo Spice.

4. With the remaining gallon of smoked bone stock whisk into Dark Roux. Continue to whisk until all clumps are gone. Add to Pot.

5. Add chicken to pot. Bring to a low boil stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to a low simmer and let simmer for three hours.

6. Remove from heat and cool it down. Serve the next day for best flavor.

7. Reheat to 165 degrees.

8. Serve with wild rice and chiffonade green onions

9. Enjoy

Liberty Kitchen Creole Whole Crab, Shrimp & Andouille Gumbo

From National Gumbo Day (Thursday, October 12) through October 19, all four Liberty Kitchen locations will donate $1 from each cup and $2.50 from the purchase of each bowl of creole whole crab, shrimp and andouille gumbo (priced at $9.50 and $14 respectively) to the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Chef Lance Fegen says, "Gumbo is the first thing I learned how to cook."

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup flour

2 tablespoons butter

2 large yellow onions, dices

3 stalks celery, diced "x"

1 large green bell pepper, seeded, vein removed, diced "x"

3 each garlic cloves, smashed

6 each green onion stalks, chopped roughly

1 pound Andouille Sausage, split and half moon slices " thick

2 each Bay leaves

4 each live blue crabs, top shell and gills removed, cut in half, liquids reserved

1/2 gallon crab-shrimp broth or chicken broth

2 cups oysters, shucked with liquid

2 tablespoons Gumbo Filé

1 pounds Gulf shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed and rinsed

2 cups tomatoes, canned, diced with liquid

1/2 tablespoon thyme, dried or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped, no stems

Preparation

In a large cast iron or heavy steal pot over medium heat add the oil. When the pan is hot, sprinkle in the flour and then add the butter. Begin to slowly whisk to incorporate and keep from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Adjust the temperature for slow, even simmering of the roux. Allow the roux to begin to simmer and stir every minute or so until you see the color begin to turn a dark tan. At this point, stay close, and continue to stir the roux being sure to get into the corners of the pots. Continue simmering and stirring until your roux begins to darken to a rich chocolate color. You are close; just a bit darker until a coffee color and you are ready for next step.

Quickly add the vegetables and stir well. This stops the roux from cooking any further. Allow the roux to begin frying the vegetables and allow them to sweat for about 10 minutes. Add the andouille and allow sausage to render about five more minutes stirring often.

Add the bay leaves, and crab bodies including any liquids from the cleaning process. Add the broth and bring to a slow simmer. Add the oysters and liquid, the tomato, gumbo file, shrimp and thyme. Continue a slow simmer for about 1 hour. Season as needed towards the end with salt and pepper.

Serve with sides of steamed rice, or creole potato salad, fresh scallions, hot French bread and your favorite hot sauce.

Brennan's Smoked Shrimp & Okra Gumbo

Brennan's gumbo was from the brainchild of Miss Ella Brennan and her brother to lighten up "haute creole." At the time, Carl Walker (now general manger) was working under Chef Emeril Lagasse and helped create the dish.

Ingredients

3 pounds 36/42 shrimp, peeled & deveined, smoked

ROUX

1 cup grapeseed oil

1 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoon grapeseed oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

4 ribs celery, diced

1 tablespoon Creole seasoning

1 tablespoon sassafrass, filé

1 cup tomatoes, chopped

6 bay leaf

1 pound okra, sliced

5 quarts shrimp stock

To taste Louisiana hot pepper sauce

To taste Worcestershire sauce

To taste salt, kosher

To taste pepper, black

GARNISH

as needed white rice

2 bunches green onions, chopped

Method

1. Prepare brown roux; reserve until needed.

2. In a heavy bottomed pot at medium high heat add grapeseed oil, garlic, green and red bell peppers, celery and onion; saute three minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

add creole seasoning, sassafras and mix well. At this point, add tomatoes, bay leaves and sliced okra.

3. Pour in reserved stock and bring to a simmer.

4. Add roux 1/4 of a cup at a time whisking vigorously until roux is incorporated. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 to 45 minutes constantly skimming the scum.

5. Stir in smoked shrimp, hot sauce, worcestershire, salt and pepper

6. Serve with white rice and green onions