Southern Gumbo

From Southern Living "Southern Gumbo originally appeared in our Feb 1971 issue, submitted by Dr. William White of Seguin, TX. Even now we still receive frequent requests for reprints of the recipe." This is very good.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 7 1/2 quarts

Ingredients

• 1  cup  vegetable oil
• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 8  stalks celery, chopped
• 3  large onions, chopped
• 1  green pepper, chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• 1  lb okra, sliced
• 2  tablespoons shortening
• 2  quarts  chicken stock
• 2  quarts water
• 1⁄2 cup Worcestershire sauce
•  hot sauce
• 1⁄2 cup catsup
• 1  large tomatoes, chopped
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 4  slices bacon or 1  large ham steak, chopped
• 1 -2  bay leaf
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried whole thyme
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  dried whole rosemary
•  red pepper flakes
• 2  cups  chopped  cooked chicken
• 2  lbs fresh crabmeat
• 4  lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1  pint  oyster, undrained
• 1  teaspoon molasses or 1  teaspoon brown sugar
•  hot cooked rice

Directions

1. Combine oil and flour in a large Dutch oven; cook over medium heat until roux is the color of a copper penny.
2. Stir in celery, onion, green pepper and garlic; add parsley. Cook 45 minutes to 1 hour stirring occasionally.
3. Fry okra in 2 T hot shortening until browned. Add to gumbo and stir well over low heat for a few minutes.
4. At this stage, the mixture may be cooled, packaged and frozen or refrigerated for later use.
5. Add next 12 ingredients; simmer 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
6. About 30 minutes before serving, add chicken, crabmeat and shrimp, simmer 30 minutes. Add oysters during.
7. last 10 minutes of simmering period. Stir in molasses.
8. Serve over hot rice.