Title: Okra Seafood Gumbo
Categories: Soup Cajun Seafood
Yield: 6 Servings

6		Hard Shell Crabs
2	lb	Sliced Okra
2	tb	Flour
5	tb	Oil
1	tb	Butter
1/2	c	Chopped Green Onions
1	c	Finely chopped Onions
3		Cloves finely chopped garlic
1		Chopped Green Pepper
1/2	c	Chopped Celery
2	lb	Shrimp(heads/peel)
8	c	Water
1	c	Diced Ham
1	cn	Tomatoes
2	ts	Salt
1/4	ts	Black Pepper
5		Dashes of Tabasco
3		Bay Leaves
1/2	ts	Powdered Thyme
1/2	ts	Basil

Boil crabs for 20 mins. in lightly salted water. Remove crabs and reserve water. Put 2 Tbsp. of oil and 1 of butter in a skillet (don't use cast iron) and fry Okra until all traces of sliminess disappear. In a deep pot, put remaining oil, stir in flour, make dark brown roux. Add onions, garlic, green peppers and celery to roux, stir for 5 min. Add diced ham and cook for 10 min. on low heat. Stir in tomatoes, shrimp and simmer. In 8 cups of crab water, boil shrimp heads and peelings for 15 mins. Add the Okra to the large pot, stir for a few minutes then strain the shrimp water to the mixture. Add the remainig seasonings and simmer slowly for 2 hours.

Remove the back shell, belly flap, legs and claws from the crabs. Clean out all unwanted material from the crabs, break the crabs in half and lightly crack the claws. Add crab halves & claws to the pot. Cook another 15 mins. adding the green onions during the last 5.

Serve over rice. If File' is desired, sprinkle over rice prior to ladling in the gumbo.

From: "La Bouche Creole" by: Leon E. Soniat, Jr. Pelican Publishing Co. Gretna, La. c-1981

***Compliments of Glenn F. Gros -- South Paradis, La.***

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