Roux-Based Authentic Seafood Gumbo With Okra - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Roux:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Vegetables:
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green onions
1 green bell pepper, chopped
Tomato Sauce and Spices:
6 cups water
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco(R)), or to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Seafood and Okra:
1 pound frozen chopped okra
1 pound catfish, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp
Last Addition:
1 tablespoon gumbo file powder, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Preparation

Put flour into a Dutch oven or large heavy pot and add flour. Turn heat to medium-high, put the pot on the burner, and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick and bubbly, has a 'peanutty' smell, and is dark brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool and thicken.
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir celery, green onions, and bell pepper in hot butter until tender, about 10 minutes; add to pot with the roux.
Stir water, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, hot pepper sauce, and thyme into the vegetable mixture. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 hour.
Stir okra into the vegetable mixture and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Add catfish, stir gently, and cook until the flesh is easily flaked with a fork, about 5 minutes. Gently stir shrimp into the mixture; cook until the shrimp are bright pink, about 3 minutes. Season with the file powder and salt; stir.