New Orleans Seafood Gumbo - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 stick butter
2 large onions, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 c. celery, chopped
1 bag frozen okra, thinly sliced and trimmed
3 lb. shrimp, cleaned
28 oz. can tomatoes
2 qt. water
3 bay leaves
2 sprigs parsley, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt to taste
2 cans crab meat
1 Tbsp. file powder
canned or fresh oysters to taste (optional)

Preparation

Melt butter in large kettle over moderate heat.
Add onion, green pepper and celery.
Cook until onion is soft.
Add okra and shrimp.
Cook stirring constantly, until shrimp start to turn pink. Add tomatoes, the liquid, water, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, cayenne and salt.
Bring to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 1 1/2 hours.
Add crab.
Simmer, covered, about 30 minutes longer.
Add oysters during last 10 minutes cooking time.
Add file powder, if desired, stirring constantly.
Don't allow gumbo to boil.
Serve on mounds of rice in soup bowls.
Recipe may be doubled and freezes nicely.