| Fast Prep

bayou gumbo

prep: 20 minutes | cook: 30 minutes | MAKES: 6 to 8 servings (1⅓ cups gumbo + ½ cup rice each)

• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped celery
• ½ cup chopped green sweet pepper
• ½ cup chopped red sweet pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups sliced okra or one 10-oz. pkg. frozen sliced okra
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 12 oz. cooked andouille sausage or smoked sausage, sliced
• 1 lb. fresh peeled and deveined medium shrimp, rinsed and patted dry
• ¼ cup chopped green onions
• Hot cooked rice (see tip below)

1. For roux, in a 6-qt. heavy pot stir together flour and oil until smooth. Cook and stir constantly over medium-high heat about 5 minutes or until the roux is dark reddish brown.

2. Stir in the next five ingredients (through garlic). Cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Add broth, okra, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in sausage; heat through. Add shrimp and green onions; cook 2 to 4 minutes or until shrimp are opaque, stirring frequently. Serve over rice.

PER SERVING: 460 cal., 22 g fat (5 g sat. fat), 122 mg chol., 870 mg sodium, 35 g carb., 3 g fiber, 3 g sugars, 30 g pro.

Rice along

Rice goes with gumbo so well because it soaks up the saucy broth of the thick Creole stew. Skip a step and buy packages of microwave-ready rice to heat up just before dinner’s done. Or skip the rice and serve with thick slices of buttered bread.