From Dave (Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen. Original recipe here.)

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

The heart and soul of any gumbo recipe is the dark roux, a long-cooked combination of oil and flour, which typically takes at least 15 minutes of moderate heat and steady stirring. Since that was half of the time we were willing to commit to the entire stew, the solution to coming up with a quick gumbo recipe, then, was to multitask. We decided to cook the roux in one pan while we assembled the rest of the dish in another and then combine the two for a final simmer. Kielbasa can be substituted for the andouille. Be sure to look at the ingredient list of the spice mixture before using; many mixtures have a high proportion of salt, which may make additional seasoning unnecessary.

Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS:

6 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
1 cup water

1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped fine
1 celery rib, chopped fine

1 (10-ounce) package frozen okra, thawed
2 teaspoons Creole spice mixture, such as Zatarain’s or Emeril’s, or, 1⁄4 teaspoon or so of cayenne pepper to taste 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried
Salt and ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound extra-large shrimp (21/25), peeled and deveined
3 scallions, sliced thin
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh parsley

INSTRUCTIONS:

MAKING THE MINUTES COUNT: Prepare the sausage, onion, bell pepper, and celery while the roux browns. Place your cutting board near the stove so you can keep an eye on the roux. If this isn’t possible, prep the sausage and vegetables ahead.

1. MAKE THE ROUX AND SAUCE: Whisk 3 tablespoons of oil and flour together in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking occasionally until mixture is color of an old copper penny, about 15 minutes. Slowly whisk in clam juice and water and bring to simmer. Continue to simmer until needed in step 3.

2. SAUTÉ SAUSAGE AND VEGETABLES: While roux cooks, heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add andouille, onion, bell pepper, celery, okra, Creole spice mixture, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until lightly browned about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. ASSEMBLE GUMBO: Slowly stir roux mixture into vegetables, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer until vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

4. COOK SHRIMP: Stir in shrimp and continue to simmer until shrimp are cooked through about 3 minutes. Off heat, season with more Creole spice mixture, salt, and pepper to taste.

Add scallions and parsley before serving.