Viet-Cajun gumbo
This is fusion cooking, taking the flavours of Vietnam and combining it with the classic Cajun dish of gumbo.
Ingredients
For the spiced butter sauce
- 60g/2¼oz unsalted butter
- 1 lemongrass stalk, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp lime juice
For the Cajun spice mix
- 4 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp paprika
- pinch smoked paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp onion powder
For the shellfish cooking liquor
- 7g Cajun spice mix (see above)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 lemongrass stalk, smashed
- 10g palm sugar
- 5 garlic cloves, unpeeled and smashed
For the gumbo
- 50g/1¾oz shelled mussels, cleaned and prepared
- 50g/1¾oz shelled cockles, cleaned and prepared
- 50g/1¾oz shelled clams, cleaned and prepared
- 2 shelled razor clams, cleaned and prepared
- 2 raw langoustines, heads removed, shells removed and de-veined
To serve
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 100g/3½oz rice sticks or rice noodles
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped coriander
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped Vietnamese mint
- ½ lime, juice only
- small handful edible spring flowers, to garnish
Method
For the spiced butter sauce, place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and blitz. Set aside.
For the serving ingredients, heat the oil in a frying pan and when very hot, add the rice sticks and caramelise until the outside is crispy and the inside is still soft. Set aside.
For the Cajun spice mix, mix all of the ingredients in a bowl. For the shellfish cooking liquor, add 125ml/4fl oz water and the rest of the ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a very low simmer for 10 minutes. Add the mussels, cockles, clams and razor clams to the cooking liquor, cover and cook for 1–2 minutes and then add the langoustine for 2 minutes, or until the langoustine is cooked through.
In a separate saucepan, heat the spiced butter sauce until it is foaming and starts to turn golden.
Drain the shellfish, retaining the liquor. Pick out the garlic pieces and lemongrass and return the shellfish to the liquor, adding the crispy rice sticks and half of the coriander and mint.
Transfer the gumbo to warmed bowls and pour the spiced butter over the top. Squeeze over the lime juice and garnish with the remaining herbs and spring flowers. Serve immediately.