Gumbo - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 doz. crabs, scalded and cleaned
1 c. chopped onion
1 lb. okra, chopped
1 c. chopped celery
3 c. raw shrimp, deveined and peeled
2 doz. oysters
3 c. canned tomatoes, drained
5 bay leaves
hot water
salt and pepper
dash of cayenne or pepper sauce
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
4 Tbsp. flour
4 Tbsp. butter
1 c. tomato liquid
2 Tbsp. file

Preparation

Melt butter in saucepan; add flour, saute onion and celery. Cook until light brown.
Add okra and cook about 30 minutes.
Stir often while cooking.
Stir in tomatoes and gradually add hot water and tomato liquid.
Add bay leaves, crab, shrimp, oysters, parsley, salt and pepper.
Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring often.
The file powder is stirred into gumbo just before serving. Serves 4 to 6.