Seafood Gumbo

• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound medium-size fresh okra, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick round, or one 16-ounce package frozen sliced okra, thawed
• 4 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1 1/4 cups chopped green onions (green and white parts)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 cups seeded and chopped green bell peppers
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• Two 16-ounce can-whole tomatoes with their liquid, chopped
• 1 cup cubed boiled ham
• 2 cups shrimp stock (see Notes) or water
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 springs fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco brand pepper sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound medium size shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
• Hot cooked long grain white rice (see Notes)

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a medium-size skillet (not a cast-iron skillet, because it will cause the okra to discolor) over medium heat.
2. Add the okra and cook, stirring frequently, for about 30 minutes.
3. Add the vinegar and cook until the okra is no longer ropey or slimy and is lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and set aside.
5. In a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat for 2 minutes and add the flour.
6. Cook, stirring slowly and constantly, to make a dark brown roux (see Eula Maes advice on making a roux).
7. Add the yellow onions, 1 cup of the green onions, the garlic, bell peppers, celery, and 1 tablespoon of the parsley and, cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender and lightly golden, about 10 minutes.
8. Add the tomatoes, ham, okra, shrimp stock, bay leaves, thyme, Worcestershire, Tabasco, and salt.
9. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
10. Add the shrimp and crabmeat and simmer until the shrimp turn pink, 8 to 10 minutes.
11. Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme.
12. Garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup green onions and 1 tablespoon parsley.
13. Serve the gumbo over rice and pass additional Tabasco at the table.

vegetable oil, fresh okra, white vinegar, flour, yellow onions, green onions, garlic, green bell peppers, celery, parsley, tomatoes, ham, shrimp, bay leaves, thyme, worcestershire sauce, pepper sauce, salt, shrimp, lump crabmeat, long grain white rice

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/seafood-gumbo-2 (may not work)