Best Creole Shrimp and Okra Gumbo

This is a really tasty gumbo that is also easy to make. For more authentic taste you can add 1/4 cup of Gumbo Filé Powder spice before you serve. I hope you get to enjoy this as much as we do! Note: If this is too mild for your taste you can add some hot sauce as you serve. I made this for my 1 year old and I had to cut down on the spice.

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Serves: 10
• Yields: 1 bowl

Ingredients

• 4  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 4  tablespoons flour
• 1  large  chopped onion
• 1  cup  chopped celery
• 6  garlic cloves, chopped
• 1  cup  of chopped green pepper
• 6  ounces tomato paste
• 14  ounces  fire-roasted tomatoes
• 2  lbs  frozen sliced okra
• 1  lb  peeled shrimp
• 1  lb shrimp, head on
• 1  lb smoked sausage (casing peeled and sliced into bite size)
• 2  cups water
• 2  cups  shrimp stock or 2  cups bouillon
• 1  tablespoon  creole seasoning (such as Slap ya Mama)
• 1  teaspoon sugar
• 3  tablespoons  of chopped parsley
• 2  bay leaves

Directions

1. Slowly stir the flour into heated oil in a heavy cast iron skillet. Continue to stir until the flour is dark brown. Add the next 4 ingredients; stir until onions are clear. Add tomato paste and a cup of water. Add okra and tomatoes. Cook slowly, adding all the water and shrimp stock -a little at a time. Stir in sugar & creole seasoning. Cook for about an hour on a low fire, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of pot; adding water if necessary.
2. Add the shrimp ,sausage, parsley and the bay leaves. Cook another 30 minutes to an hour, adding seasoning to taste. Serve over boiled or steamed rice.