Gourmet's Seafood Gumbo

From Gourmet, January 2008

• Ready In: 2 hrs 10 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 1 pot

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 lb bacon, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil, approximately
• 3⁄4 cup flour, all-purpose
• 2  celery ribs, chopped
• 1  green bell pepper, chopped
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 5  garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 1⁄2 quarts  fish stock
• 1 (14 ounce) can whole tomatoes, in juice, drained and chopped
• 1  lb  cut okra, frozen, not thawed
• 1  teaspoon thyme, chopped
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  teaspoon cayenne, rounded
• 1⁄2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup scallion, chopped
• 1 1⁄2 lbs medium shrimp, in shell, peeled and deveined
• 2  dozen  shucked  oysters, with their liquor, oysters picked over for shell fragments
• 1⁄2 lb lump crabmeat, picked over

Directions

1. Cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat until browned but not crisp. Transfer bacon to a bowl with a slotted spoon and transfer rendered fat to a heatproof liquid measure, then add enough oil to fat to bring total to 3/4 cup.
2. Stir together fat and flour in skillet with a wooden spoon, then cook roux over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until well browned (a shade darker than peanut butter), about 20 minutes.
3. Add celery, bell pepper, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a 6 to 7-quart pot.
4. Stir in stock, tomatoes, okra, thyme, bay leaf, cayeen, and 2 teaspoons salt and briskly simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.
5. Add parsley, scallions, shrimp, and oysters with their liquor and cook, stirring, until seafood is just cooked through, about 5 minutes.
6. Stir in crabmeat and bacon and simmer until heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt, Discard bay leaf.