Easy Duck Gumbo - Video Recipe

For my Easy Duck Gumbo, the two main ingredients are ready to use. During the Christmas holidays, if I have leftover Roast Duck, then it goes right into a Gumbo that's made with a store-bought Roux.

A Cajun Gumbo is a dark and muddy swamp of a soup made with almost any kind of meat or seafood, a Roux, and a Cajun Holy Trinity of veggies. When I visit Louisiana, Gumbo will be on the menu, whether I  order it from a local Cajun fast food joint or make it at home.

Even Louisiana's Meals on Wheels government safety net program offers homebound seniors (60 years or older) a Chicken and Sausage Gumbo meal. How does it fare? Hmmm, check back for a Cheap$kate Dining Review by the Swamp Chef.

The first main ingredient for a Gumbo is a Roux. Grocers are starting to carry Roux that is pre-cooked and brown, so you can go right to sauting veggies, then add the pre-cooked Roux. I've made Gumbo using the shortcut grocery method and the long, homemade version of Roux (Mom's Homemade Roux with yummy photo illustrations is here). For this recipe, I use store-bought, browned Roux for a Gumbo that's easy and quick to make. 

  Click on any photo to see larger.

Pre-made Roux can be dry or wet with oil added. There are also Gumbo Mixes, including Roux and Cajun spices.

Usually, a Homemade Roux has plain raw flour cooked and stirred until a medium to dark brown, which gives Gumbo its unique nutty flavor and color. Back in the day, an equal amount of oil was used to brown the flour. These days, I leave the oil out.

Homemade Roux without oil.

I also use leftover Roast Duck pieces. I cook my Duck like I would Roast Chicken. The main difference is that you should slice or pierce the Duck skin so the fatty layer under the skin will drain and allow the skin to crisp.

A couple of hard-to-find ingredients in my Duck Gumbo can be left out. Filé Powder is dried sassafras leaves. Creole Seasoning is mainly salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, thyme, cayenne, onion, and garlic powders. 

Along with a packaged Roux and leftover Duck, I add a Cajun Holy Trinity comprised of bell pepper, celery, and onion, which is used in many Cajun recipes. 

I still get these veggies frequently on sale for less than a dollar each or a dollar per pound.

Okra might not be to everyone's taste as it becomes slimy after cooking for a while, but I like it fine. 

Cajuns serve their Gumbo over white steamed rice. I've had it over brown rice and even quinoa.

Duck is way more expensive than chicken, so this is a recipe for special occasions if you are a cheap$kate like me. 

Hey, you can always substitute budget chicken dark meat for pungent Duck in my Easy Duck Gumbo recipe.

Easy Duck Gumbo Recipe - Video            Play it here, video runs 4 minutes, 33 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients (4 to 6 servings)

• Water - 8 cups.  Okay to use less water to reach your favorite thick or thin Gumbo. At the end of cooking, you can decide if you want more water. For a thicker Gumbo, uncover and cook 15 minutes at the end.
• 3/4 Cup Roux - I used a store-bought Roux for this recipe. For a homemade Roux, use 3/4 cup flour and oil. Over medium heat, stir flour and oil until it reaches a brown-to-dark brown color, about 20 minutes.
• Leftover Duck - about 2 pounds. Cooked Duck is a mix of dark and white meat. For raw Duck pieces, boil with the ingredients for about 2 hours to cook through and tenderize. 
• Oil - 1 tablespoon, any favorite.
• 1 Onion - chopped.
• Garlic - 1 tablespoon.
• 1 Bell Pepper - chopped.
• Celery - about 2 chopped ribs.
• Okra - about 8 to 12 whole okra spears. I slice okra depending on how large they are. Okay to leave a few whole. Some do not like okra (and it can be hard to find), so it's okay to leave it out.
• Creole Seasoning - 1 teaspoon. Creole seasoning is usually a combination of salt, paprika or chile powder, dried garlic, and onion. 
• Black Pepper - 1 teaspoon.
• Filé Powder - 1 teaspoon, optional. Filé is dried sassafras leaves. 
• Steamed Rice - Rice - serve Gumbo over cooked white or brown rice. I usually boil a cup or two of rice.
• *Homemade Gumbo with Chicken and Sausage, and  Roast Duck recipe links are at the end of this recipe text.

Directions

In a medium hot pot, add oil and chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté for 2 minutes. 

Add a tablespoon of chopped garlic and saute for one minute.

Sprinkle on a teaspoon of Creole Seasoning and Gumbo Filé Powder. If you do not have these, then leave them out. Add some salt and pepper instead of Creole Seasoning.

Mix well and saute the Roux Mix for a minute. Add chopped and whole okra. 

Pour on some of the Duck drippings from a roasting pan, if you have any left over. Okay to leave some out, as duck renders a lot of fat.

Fill the pot with 8 cups of water. Mix well to dissolve the Roux.

Add duck pieces and bring broth to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot.

Simmer Gumbo for an hour. If you are using raw duck pieces, then simmer for 2 hours or until the raw duck is cooked through. For raw duck, you want to remove most of the skin as it is very fatty. I would leave some on, as it is extra flavor.

After one hour (for cooked duck) or two (if the duck is raw), remove the large Duck pieces. I like to shred the Duck and return it to the Gumbo. Reheat shredded Duck for a few minutes. 

Serve Duck Gumbo over cooked rice or a favorite grain like quinoa.

My Mom's Homemade Chicken and Sausage Gumbo: 

https://the99centchef.blogspot.com/2011/07/moms-gumbo-recipe-and-flea-market-food.html

Roast Duck Recipe: https://the99centchef.blogspot.com/2024/02/roast-duck-video-recipe.html

Shrimp & Corn Soup - Chef Matt Video Recipe

My cajun chef nephew is baaack! Chef Matt knows seafood and his latest recipe is a Southern spin on a New England Chowder...but with shrimp. His Shrimp Corn Soup is the bomb!

Click on any photo to see larger.

If you like a New England Clam Chowder then you know what's in store. It's almost the same recipe but with shrimp and corn instead of clams and potatoes.

Chef Matt has been in the food biz most of his working life, cooking for award-winning restaurants, so his palate is quite fine, but he is not above using a cheap can of diced tomato and chile called Ro-Tel. 

When Chef Matt starts slinging pots and pans you never know who will show up. Well, look what the alligators dragged in, my brother from another daddy, the Swamp Chef.

Any kinfolk are always welcome as taste testers!! We saved a bowl for Matt's brother Jason and Matt's son Miles.

The main ingredients are shrimp, corn, flour, and cream. Of course, there is the addition of the Cajun Trinity of bell pepper, onion, and celery. Chef Matt used a container of the chopped Trinity (sometimes parsley and garlic are added). It's okay to buy celery, bell pepper, and onion separately and then chop.

Local Trinity for chopping.

Flour and veggies are still priced cheaply. Shrimp is an expensive ingredient, but I have a local Latin market that sells them a dollar less per pound than regular grocery stores.

This is a father/son bonding recipe. Chef Matt did the cooking and chopping while his son, Miles, peeled the boiled shrimp.

We used large shrimp for the recipe, and with large shrimp, you often have a black vein or digestive tract along the back of each shrimp. Once the shell is removed make a shallow slice along the back to remove the "vein".

I've noticed that some shrimp have them and others do not, especially smaller shrimp. The "vein" has a sandy texture and little flavor - not everyone will go through the trouble to remove them, so that is up to you.

For this recipe, Matt boiled the shrimp first, then added the peeled and chopped large shrimp to the Corn Soup. 

Here's how I peel shrimp. Basically, you remove the head and a couple of shell segments, then squeeze the tail end and pull out the raw or cooked shrimp.

He also had leftover crab shells from another recipe (check back for his fantastic Crab Salad). All the shells were roasted with some carrots and onion. Then the shells were boiled in water for a couple of hours for a pungent seafood broth. I only include this extra step to show how Chef Matt rolls.

A lot of flavor is extracted from shrimp when they are boiled. You want to retain the liquid the shrimp are boiled in - this is the broth I use for Shrimp & Corn Soup. 

Matt also used another shortcut, frozen corn on the cob. Once defrosted the corn kernels are easier to slice off than fresh corn cobs. Of course, use fresh corn if you can get it. You could even use a bag of cheap frozen corn kernels for the recipe. And, canned corn holds up quite well.

99 thanks to Chef Matt for another righteous recipe. His Shrimp & Corn Soup is rich, creamy, and loaded with veggies and shrimp.

And it's always fun to hang out the my Cajun family and taste testers. This time Mom, Miles, and Jason stepped up to the plate(s). These are kool cats always up for another wacky video ride with the Swamp Chef !

Chef Matt's Shrimp & Corn Soup - VIDEO       Play it here, video runs 8 minutes, 24 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients

• Shrimp - 2 pounds. Okay to boil shrimp first (saving broth). 
• Water - 8 cups.to boil shrimp and seafood shells. The strained broth will go into the soup. Okay to substitute a bottle of clam juice plus water.
• 1 Bell Pepper - chopped. Remove the stem and seeds.
• 1 Onion - chopped.
• Celery - 1 stalk chopped. 
• Flour - 2 cups.
• Ro-tel - 10 ounces of tomatoes and chile in the can. Okay to substitute with a can of diced tomatoes.
• Garlic Powder - 1 teaspoon. 
• Dried Basil  - 1 tablespoon. Or any favorite herbs.
• Hot Sauce - 1 teaspoon, optional. Add as much or as little as you can handle.
• Cayenne Pepper - 1 teaspoon, optional.
• Salt and Pepper - to taste. About half a teaspoon.
• Corn - 2 cups.  Fresh or frozen. Add 10 minutes to the cooking time if the corn is fresh.
• Green Onions - 1 bunch chopped. Remove root ends. 
• Cream - 1 cup. Okay to use regular milk or a milk substitute.
• Oil or Butter - 1 tablespoon for sauteing veggies. Any favorite vegetable oil.

Directions.

Matt first boiled unpeeled shrimp 10 to 15 minutes in 8 cups of water for a seafood broth.

Chef Matt went the extra mile in the video. The seafood shells (crab shells), plus carrot and onion, were roasted in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Okay to leave out this step. Boiling shrimp shells (or unpeeled shrimp) will render plenty of flavor for a broth.

If you are using store-bought peeled shrimp okay to add a bottle of clam juice and water, or your favorite broth for extra flavor.

Add chopped veggies to a medium-hot pan with a tablespoon of oil. Stir and saute for about 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups of flour to veggies. Saute flour and veggies for a couple of minutes.

Strain about 8 cups of shrimp/seafood broth and add to sauteed vegetables and flour. Stir to dissolve the flour.

Add a can of Ro-Tel to the soup. Okay to substitute with a can of diced tomato.

Now extra flavors are added. You can use any favorite spices and herbs (dried and fresh) you like or have on hand.

Add herbs and seasonings including basil, salt, pepper, hot sauce, and cayenne pepper (optional).

Use a favorite Hot Sauce. Do you like it hot and spicy or just mild? Add or subtract from Chef Matt's recipe spice amounts and taste as you go so you find the right balance.

Matt used frozen corn cobs. Slice off kernels and break them apart. Okay to use cheaper frozen corn in the bag or even drained canned corn. Add corn kernels to soup. Cook an extra 10 minutes if the corn kernels are raw.

Stir in chopped green onion. This gives the soup extra color and crunch.

Pour in the cream. The soup will thicken in about 5 minutes. Okay to use whole milk or milk substitute.

Add peeled and roughly chopped boiled shrimp to the soup. If shrimp are small then okay to leave them whole.

If shrimp are raw then simmer for about 10 minutes to cook through. 

You want to simmer cooked shrimp for only a couple of minutes to heat Shrimp and Corn Soup.

This recipe is similar to a New England Clam Chowder, thick and creamy with corn instead of potatoes.

Hindsight

A simple seafood broth for this recipe is easily made by boiling whole shrimp with the shells on. Strain if necessary and add the broth after sauteing the veggies and flour.

Shrimp cook quickly when boiled, in about 10 to 15 minutes. They are also easier to peel off the shells when boiled and cooled down.

Matt bought a container of Trinity veggies already chopped. It is more expensive, so it's cheaper to just buy a bell pepper, onion, and a rib or two of celery and chop them yourself - that's what I normally do. (I use leftover celery for my delish Tuna or Chicken Salads.)

Once you finally add the shrimp all that is needed is to warm up the soup to your desired temperature.