Seafood Gumbo - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 c. bacon drippings
1 c. all-purpose flour
8 stalks celery, chopped
3 large yellow onions, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. parsley, chopped
1 lb. okra, sliced
2 Tbsp. shortening
2 qt. chicken stock
2 qt. water
1/2 c. Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco sauce to taste
1/2 c. catsup
1 (16 oz.) can whole tomatoes
2 Tbsp. salt
1 large slice smoked ham, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. rosemary
2 c. cooked chicken, chopped
1 lb. claw crabmeat
3 to 5 lb. boiled shrimp
1 pt. oysters (optional)
1 tsp. brown sugar
lemon juice to taste

Preparation

Heat bacon drippings over medium heat; add flour slowly and stir constantly until roux is a chocolate brown.
This takes a long time.
Add celery, onions, green pepper, garlic and parsley and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Fry okra in shortening until slightly browned.
Add to first mixture and stir well for a few minutes.
Add chicken stock, water, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, catsup, tomatoes with juice, salt, ham, bay leaves, thyme and rosemary.
Simmer 2 1/2 hours.
Add chicken, crabmeat and shrimp and simmer 30 minutes more.
Add brown sugar and lemon juice.
Serve in bowls over hot rice.
Serves 20.