Maryland Seafood Gumbo

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Submitted by Joan M. Hale

Growing up in Brunswick, MD, my family always loved Maryland seafood. We grew up eating oyster stew and attended family crab feasts each summer. My dad built a “crab shack” especially for those feasts. My parents regularly went fishing on the Chesapeake Bay where they would catch blue fish and flounder.

My Dad, Joe Cook, would order a bushel of crabs from Chesapeake Beach and bring them home and steam them on the stove in his garage. His special combination of seasonings was Old Bay seasoning and black pepper. The photo below shows Dad getting ready to steam a fresh bushel of live crabs. I remember chasing crabs around the garage when they escaped from the basket!

 

The first time we had a group of friends over for a crab feast, no one had ever eaten blue crabs before, so we provided a tutorial on cleaning a crab. Our guests loved it! Our UPS delivery person who delivered the crabs was originally from Maryland and he mentioned how he missed eating crabs, so we invited him too!

​​Directions​

1. Save the crab claws for garnish and shuck the oysters (keep the liquid) and refrigerate. Add the chopped onions, celery, green peppers, garlic and scallions and stir in the roux mixture until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the seafood stock or chicken stock, Old Bay seasoning, bay leaves, and sausage. Stir thoroughly, and cook for about an hour.
2. Saute sausage in oil and place on paper towels when finished.
3. In a large dutch oven, add the oil and flour and using a whisk, stir over medium heat until the roux is a chocolate brown.
4. Add the chopped onions, celery, green peppers, garlic and scallions and stir in the roux mixture until vegetables begin to soften.
5. Add the seafood stock or chicken stock, Old Bay Seasoning, bay leaves, and sausage. Stir thoroughly, and cook for about an hour.
6. About 15 minutes before serving, add the crab meat, oysters, and crab claws to the pot. Cook for about 10 minutes.
7. Add the spring onions and parsley.
8. Serve gumbo over cooked rice