Shrimp Gumbo

Ingredients

1 oz. bacon, diced

1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced

1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 cup celery, diced

2 oz. all-purpose-flour

6 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

2 1/2 oz. brown rice

1 1/4 oz. filé powder

1 sprig of fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 cup diced canned tomatoes, drained

10 oz. raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped

Slowly render the bacon in a large soup pot. Add peppers, onion, garlic, paprika and celery, sautéing until aromatic. Add the flour and continue to cook on low heat until the flour has turned light to medium golden brown. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the rice, filé powder, oregano and salt. Reduce heat to medium and place a lid on the pot. Cook until the rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Stir the soup occasionally so the flour doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Adjust the thickness of the gumbo by adding water, juice from the canned tomatoes or chicken broth. Add the shrimp and tomatoes, cooking until the shrimp is just done, about 5 minutes. Garnish with more peppers or sliced scallions and serve.

Yield: 6 1½-cup servings

Per serving: 119 calories, 1.3g fat, 14.9g protein, 11.4g carbohydrate, 1g dietary fiber, 94mg cholesterol, 1116mg sodium, 385mg potassium, 51.2mg calcium