Best Creole Shrimp And Okra Gumbo - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons flour
1 large chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup of chopped green pepper
6 ounces tomato paste
14 ounces fire-roasted tomatoes
2 lbs frozen sliced okra
1 lb peeled shrimp
1 lb shrimp, head on
1 lb smoked sausage (casing peeled and sliced into bite size)
2 cups water
2 cups shrimp stock or 2 cups bouillon
1 tablespoon creole seasoning (such as Slap ya Mama)
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons of chopped parsley
2 bay leaves

Preparation

Slowly stir the flour into heated oil in a heavy cast iron skillet. Continue to stir until the flour is dark brown. Add the next 4 ingredients; stir until onions are clear. Add tomato paste and a cup of water. Add okra and tomatoes. Cook slowly, adding all the water and shrimp stock -a little at a time. Stir in sugar & creole seasoning. Cook for about an hour on a low fire, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of pot; adding water if necessary.
Add the shrimp ,sausage, parsley and the bay leaves. Cook another 30 minutes to an hour, adding seasoning to taste. Serve over boiled or steamed rice.