Elsie'S Creole Gumbo

• 4 slices bacon, fried, leaving about 1/4 c. grease
• flour (for thickening)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 c. chopped celery
• 1 to 1 1/2 pkg. frozen okra, cut or whole (1 to 1 1/2 lb.)
• 2 fresh tomatoes, cut up or 1/2 (16 oz.) can and juice
• 1 bay leaf
• few dashes Lea & Perrins
• dash of Louisiana hot sauce
• salt
• pepper
• Creole spices (allspice, red pepper, etc.)
• 1 chicken, cut up and browned or 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and 1 whole crab leg (use fresh or frozen seafood)

1. Fry bacon in large, deep iron skillet or heavy Dutch oven. Remove bacon.
2. To make roux, add flour gradually to grease, stirring constantly, until attain a medium gravy consistency, no more.
3. Discard any extra flour.
4. With practice, the roux can be made quickly over fairly high heat if you stir and watch it constantly.
5. If gets too thick, add touch of water or juice of tomatoes.
6. Cook until a rich dark golden brown color, but not burned.
7. Only then add onion and celery.
8. Turn to medium heat and cook until tender, adding some water, slowly thinning down roux mixture, keeping it smooth.
9. Add okra and add fresh tomatoes cut in pieces or several cut up canned tomatoes, no more.
10. Stir well, adding water to cover all ingredients.

bacon, flour, onion, celery, frozen okra, tomatoes, bay leaf, perrins, hot sauce, salt, pepper, red pepper, chicken

Taken from www.cookbooks.com/Recipe-Details.aspx?id=214724 (may not work)