Massa'S Restaurant'S Seafood Gumbo - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 Tbsp. flour
1/2 c. cooking oil
1 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic
1 c. each: diced onion and celery
1 qt. water
1/2 pt. fresh oysters
1/2 pt. peeled, cleaned shrimp
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Spice Islands gumbo file *
2 c. cooked rice

Preparation

*This mixture of ground sassafras and thyme thickens and gives a distinctive Creole flavor.