YIELD: 10 TO 12 SERVINGS

2 lbs. okra, sliced ¼"
oil for frying okra
1 cup oil
1½ cups flour
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
4 gumbo crabs*
1 (14.5 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp. thyme
1 bay leaf
½ gallon shrimp stock
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper to taste
4 lbs. shrimp
1 bunch green onions
4 lbs. shrimp
*gumbo crabs are blue crabs too scrawny to yield lump crab meat, perfect for use in gumbos

1. Fry okra in very hot oil until lightly browned.

2. Make a dark roux with the flour and oil, cooking to the color of milk chocolate brown.

3. Add onion, stirring together until the roux darkens to a bittersweet chocolate brown.

4. Add celery and bell pepper. Saute for five minutes, add the gumbo crabs, tomatoes, okra, herbs and shrimp stock. Add garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 45 minutes or longer.

5. Ten minutes before serving, add shrimp and green onions. Serve over cooked rice.

Recipe: Poppy Tooker