Gumbo--New Orleans

Ingredients

• 12 bell peppers, diced
• 2 bunches shallots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cups cooking oil
• 1 quart flour
• 2 (3 lb) boxes cleaned hard-shell crabs
• 6 links sausage, sliced
• 5 (3 lb) packages cut okra
• 5 lbs shrimp, peeled
• 1 teaspoon salt
• granulated garlic
• cayenne pepper
• file powder
• 1 lb tomato paste (10 cans)
• bay leaf
• 1 1/2 gallons water

Directions

1. 1

   Note: The 1 hour prep time is if you are chopping the vegetables and preparing the seafood. If you want to take a short cut, you can use frozen veggies and precooked seafood. It is just a matter of taste.

2. 2

   Sauté in 20 quart pot, the following:.

3. 3

   Preheat 1 quart oil; add vegetables, let cook till brown (approx. 15-20min). Add tomato paste, let cook 10 min., stirring constantly to keep from scorching.

4. 4

   Separately make Roux:.

5. 5

   Heat 2 cups cooking oil; add 1 quart flour, stirring constantly till brown. Add roux to pot, adding water, spices (to taste), crabs and sausage. Let cook one hour, stirring occasionally.

6. 6

   NOTE: Filé should be added just 10 minutes before turning fire off, stirring well. Serve with rice.