When Lena makes her Jubilee Gumbo she no longer follows a recipe; she simply tosses together whatever comes to mind by instinct. The recipe here is only a guideline: Lena urges all to try their own combinations — the greater the variety, the better.
Yield:
Serves 6 to 8.Ingredients
1 pound ocean fish fillets (for example, haddock, snapper; cod, and/or sole)
1/2 pound small peeled shrimp and 1 pound shucked clams or other assorted seafoods
1 can (1 pound) tomatoes
1 medium green pepper; chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup olive oil, more or less
2 cups water and white wine, half and half, to cover
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Instructions
Make your Jubilee “catch” at the market, making sure the fish and seafood are fresh. Combine canned tomatoes with green pepper, onion, and olive oil in a deep saucepan or soup kettle, and place over low heat. Simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Add fish and seafood; then add water and white wine just to cover. Season with salt and hot pepper sauce. Cover and cook approximately another 30 minutes. Serve in soup plates over a mound of fluffy rice.
