1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
8 stalks celery, chopped
3 large onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
About 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)
1 lb. okra, sliced
2 tbsp. shortening
2 quarts chicken stock
2 quarts water
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
Hot sauce to taste
1/2 cup catsup
1 large tomato, chopped
1 tbsp. salt
4 slices bacon or 1 large hame slice, chopped
1 or 2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. dried whole thyme
1/4 tsp. dried whole rosemary
Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1 to 2 lbs. fresh crabmeat
4 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pint oysters, undrained (optional)
1 tsp. molasses or brown sugar
Hot cooked rice
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Combine oil and flour in a large Dutch oven; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 10 to 15 minutes or until roux is the color of a copper penny. Stir in celery, onion, green pepper, and garlic; add parsley, if desired. Cook 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Fry okra in 2 tbsp. hot shortening until browned. Add to gumbo, and stir well over low heat for a few minutes. (At this stage, the mixture may be cooled, packaged, and frozen or refrigerated for later use.)
Add next 12 ingredients; simmer 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
About 30 minutes before serving, add chicken, crabmeat, and shrimp; simmer 30 minutes. Add oysters, if desired, during the last 10 minutes of simmering period. Stir in molasses. Serve over rice.
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