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[darkenedminds]

Two questions:

How far ahead from a party would it be OK to make gumbo? The party is at noon on Saturday - would Thursday night be OK?

Also: do you have any recommendations for a shrimp and sausage gumbo with okra, made from a roux (it seems a lot I'm finding aren't authentic and are based off of tomato paste for ease)?

Comments

[coloredink]

I've made Alton Brown's gumbo recipe with tasty results. I don't know if it's "authentic," but it uses a roux and has shrimp and andouille sausage in it!

[peridoxical]

This. I've gotten tons of compliments using this recipe, and doing the roux in the oven makes it painless.

[njlorelei]

This is exactly how I would do it too.

[darkenedminds]

Even if its frozen cooked, peeled shrimp?

[bleuberi21]

To me, dishes like gumbo actually get better a day or two after cooking. =0)

[fishlaura]

i totally agree with this!

[stormypinkness]

This site has a recipe for easy dark roux from the oven and also a gumbo recipe using the roux and okra. I thought they looked pretty tasty.

http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2009/03/easy-dark-oven-roux.html
http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2009/10/shrimp-and-okra-gumbo.html

[southernmyst]

Making the gumbo on Thursday night will be fine, though I would do as someone already suggested and add the raw shrimp when reheating it on Saturday. Do follow ordinary food safety rules; I'd do a quick cool down Thursday night (plunge the pot into an icebath for about 15 minutes), then straight into the fridge, personally, especially as it's for a party. Incidentally, gumbo freezes really well (just make the rice fresh).

I quite like Alton Brown's shrimp gumbo - it calls for sausage as well. If making the stock is too much for your schedule this week, you might be able to find seafood or pork stock cubes, depending on where you live; roux + stock is what you're after for your base