INGREDIENTS

2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups chopped green bell peppers
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
5 1/2 cups BASIC SEAFOOD STOCK (see Basic Stock Recipe)
1 lb. andouille smoked sausage , cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 lb. peeled medium shrimp
1 doz. medium to large oysters in their liquor, about 9 ounces
3/4 lb. crabmeat (picked over)
2 1/2 cups hot Cooked Rice

SEASONING MIX:

2 whole bay leaves
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. dried oregano leaves

Combine the onions, bell peppers and celery in a medium-size bowl and set aside. In a small bowl combine the seasoning mix ingredients; mix well and set aside.

BASIC COOKED RICE RECIPE

From Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen

Makes 6 cups

If you make this ahead of time and store it, omit the bell peppers- they tend to sour quickly. Use chicken stock if you are serving rice with a chicken dish, seafood stock with a seafood dish, beef with a beef dish.

2 cups uncooked rice (preferably converted or popcorn rice)
2 1/2 cups BASIC STOCK **
1 1/2 Tbsp. very finely chopped onions
1 1/2 Tbsp. very finely chopped celery
1 1/2 Tbsp. very finely chopped green peppers (optional)
1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter (preferred) or margarine melted
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
A pinch each of white pepper, ground red pepper (preferably cayenne) and Black pepper

In a 5x9x2 1/2-inch loaf pan, combine all ingredients; mix well. Seal pan snugly with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees until rice is tender, about l hour, 10 minutes. Serve immediately. However, you can count on the rice staying hot for 45 minutes and warm for two hours. To reheat leftover rice, either use a double boiler or warm rice in a skillet with unsalted butter.

** BASIC STOCK

TO MAKE 1 QUART

Seafood Stock is used for this rice and for the Seafood Gumbo. The Stock can be prepared ahead and frozen until needed.

About 2 quarts cold water
Vegetable trimmings from the recipe(s) you are serving, or:
1 med. onion, unpeeled and quartered
1 lg. clove garlic, unpeeled and quartered
1 rib celery

FOR SEAFOOD STOCK:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds rinsed shrimp heads and/or shells, or crawfish heads and/or shells, or crab shells (2 1/2 to 3 quarts), or rinsed fish carcasses (heads and gills removed) salmon is a good fish carcass to use - obtained from fish market, or oyster liquor or any combination of these. Always start with COLD water - enough to cover the stock ingredients. Place all ingredients in a stock pot or a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then gently simmer at least 4 hours, preferably 8 (unless directed otherwise in a recipe), replenishing the water as needed to keep about one quart of liquid in the pan. The pot may be uncovered or set a lid on it askew. Strain, cool and refrigerate until ready to use. If you are short on time, using a stock simmering 20 or 30 minutes is far better than using just water in any recipe.

Don't use bell peppers, spices or livers. There is no set rule regarding amounts of ingredients to use in making stock, but the following proportions are considered appropriate by Paul Prudhomme. Because stock is simple to make, you can multiply at will the ingredients for the basic 1-quart recipe to make larger quantities.

ROUX

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat until it begins to smoke, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the flour, whisking constantly with a long-handled metal whisk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until *roux is dark red-brown to black, about 2 to 4 minutes, being careful not to let it scorch or splash on your skin. Immediately add half the vegetables and stir well (switch to a spoon if necessary). Continue stirring and cooking about 1 minute. Then add the remaining vegetables and cook and stir about 2 minutes. Stir in the seasoning mix and continue cooking about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic; stir well, then cook and stir about 1 minute more. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, place the stock in a 5 1/2-quart saucepan or large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Add roux mixture by spoonfuls to the boiling stock, stirring until dissolve d between each addition. Bring mixture to a boil. Add the andouille and return to a boil; continue boiling 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes more. Add the shrimp, undrained oysters and crabmeat. Return to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and skim any oil from the surface. Serve immediately.

To serve as a main course, mound 1/4 cup rice in the middle of each serving bowl. Spoon 1 cup gumbo over the top, making sure each person gets an assortment of the seafood and andouille. Serve half this amount in a cup as an appetizer. \par \par A roux is a mixture of flour and oil. Traditionally, the fat used was animal fat, though today various oils are used, and the roux was, and often still is, made by very slow cooking - sometimes for several hours.

The basic reason for making a roux is for the distinctive taste and texture it lends to food. This roux taste and texture is characteristic of many dishes that Louisiana Cajuns make. The first few times, making a roux may seem difficult, and, certainly, using oil heated to over 500 degrees has an element of danger to it. However, once you've made roux several times and become more accustomed to handling the high temperature, you will find it to be extremely rewarding because of the uniqueness of the finished product.

The usual proportion of oil to flour is fifty-fifty.

Roux can be made in advance, cooled and then stored in an airtight j ar for several days, in the refrigerator or at room temperature. If roux is made ahead, pour off excess oil from the surface and reheat (preferred), or let it return to room temperature before using. \par \par In general, light and medium-brown roux are used in sauces or gravies for dark, heavy meats such as beef, with game such as elk and venison, and with dark fowl such as duck, geese and blackbirds. They give a wonderful, toasted nutty flavor - just the right enhancement - to these sauces and gravies. Dark red-brown and black roux are used in sauces and gravies for sweet, light, white meats such as pork, rabbit, veal, and all kinds of freshwater and saltwater fish and shellfish. In addition, black roux are best to use in gumbos because the darkest roux results in the thinnest, best tasting gumbos of all; but it takes practice to make black roux without burning them, and dark red-brown roux are certainly acceptable for any gumbo. Certain dishes will reflect an exception to these rules. Basically, Cajun cooks view roux as being essentially two types - medium brown and black. They classify meats as basically of two types - heavy, dark, somewhat bitter ones, and light, white, sweet ones. Traditionally Cajun cooks use light roux with dark meats and dark roux with light meat.

IMPORTANT WORDS OF CAUTION WHEN MAKING ROUX:

1) Cooked roux is extremely hot and sticks to your skin; so be very careful to avoid splashing it on yourself; it's best to use a long-handled metal whisk or wooden spoon.

2) Always begin with a very clean skillet or pot - preferably one that is heavy, such as cast iron (never a nonstick type). If possible, use a skillet with flared sides because this makes stirring easier and thus makes it less likely the roux will burn. In addition, use a large enough skillet so that the oil does not fill it by more that one-forth of its capacity.

3) The oil should be smoking hot before the flour is added.

4) Once the oil is heated, stir in the flour gradually (about a third at a time) and stir or whisk quickly and constantly to avoid burning the mixture. (Flour has moisture in it, and adding it to hot oil often creates steam - another good reason for using long-handled whisks or spoons.

5) If black specks appear in the roux as it cooks, it has burned; discard it (place it in a heatproof container to cool before discarding) then start the roux over again.

6) As soon as the roux reaches the desired color, remove it from the heat; stir in the vegetables, which stop the browning process and enhance the taste of the finished dish, and continue stirring until the roux stops getting darker (at least 3 to 5 minutes).

7) While cooking roux (bringing it to the desired color), if you feel it is darkening too fast, immediately remove it from the heat and continue whisking constantly until you have control of it.

8) Care and concentration are essential for you to be successful with this fast method of making roux. Especially the first few times you make a roux, be certain that any possible distractions - including children - are under control. In addition, have all cooking utensils and required vegetables or seasoning mixtures prepared ahead of time and near at hand before you start cooking.

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