Seafood Gumbo Recipe--Mama's

 Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. bacon drippings

2 Tbsp. flour

2 ½ cups cut okra

1 large onion chopped

1 green pepper chopped

2 cloves chopped garlic

1 8oz can tomato sauce

bay leaves (2)

2 sprigs chopped parsley

1 tsp salt

1 tsp thyme

dash cayenne pepper

dash black pepper

2 quarts hot water (or chicken broth)

1 lb shrimp

1 pt oysters with liquid

chopped bacon or diced ham

1 cup crab meat

Cooked rice

Fry okra slowly in bacon fat until soft; add onion garlic and green pepper.  Fry until onion is soft.  

Add flour and blend; add tomato sauce and mix well. 

(Teresa’s note) Another option is to stir and cook the flour and and bacon drippings for about 20 minutes until golden brown--making a roux. Then add the next ingredients, including the okra, onion, and green pepper. )

  Add remaining ingredients.  (Teresa’s note: I add the shrimp at the very end and cook them just until they change color to keep them from getting tough.)

Cook slowly for one hour.  Gumbo should be dark and thick.  

Serve in soup bowls with a spoonful of hot cooked rice in center of each bowl.  

Serves 12.  Sprinkle with file’ powder just before serving.

This can be made a day early. I like to serve it for supper.

Excellent with toasted and buttered french bread.