Louisiana Gumbo - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb. okra, sliced
2 Tbsp. flour
4 Tbsp. shortening
2 medium onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. chopped celery
1 can stewed tomatoes (16 oz.)
1 doz. Louisiana crabs or 2 California crabs, cleaned
1 jar oysters (8 oz.)
2 sprigs parsley, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 sprig each thyme and sweet basil
2 qt. water
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled
1 tsp. file
1 lb. hot smoked sausage

Preparation

Fry okra in 2 tablespoons shortening for about 20 minutes. In another saucepan, make roux with remaining shortening and flour.
Add onions, celery and garlic.
Cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add okra, tomatoes, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, sweet basil and water.
Simmer for 30 minutes.
Add salt and pepper. Add peeled, deveined and washed shrimp and crabs (break off and crack the claws and cut the body in half).
Simmer 10 minutes longer.
Add oysters and sausage; let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in file just before serving.
Serve with cooked rice.