SEA FOOD GUMBO

 

SEA FOOD

To serve S to 10

8 tablespoons butter

2 ten-ounce packages of frozen okra,

thoroui;hlv defrosted and thinlv

sliced, or

1

pound fresh okra, thinlv

sliced

' 2 cup finely chopped onion

> 2

cup finelv chopped green pepper

' 2 teaspoon finelv chopped garlic

2 tablespoons flour

4 cups chicken stock, fresh or canned

2 cups coarselv chopped fresh ripe

tomatoes, or an equivalent amount

of drained canned tomatoes

Herb bouquet of 6 sprigs parslev and

a large bay leaf, tied with cord

' 2

teaspoon thvme

2 teaspoons salt

Freshlv ground black pepper

1

pound of small raw shrimp, shelled

and deveined

' 2

pound of lump crab meat, fresh

or canned

16 oysters, shucked

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

'

I

teaspoon Tabasco

2 cups hot steamed rice (optional)

In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over moderate heat. Add the fresh or frozen okra and, stirring constantly, cook until

the okra stops "roping," that is, until the white threads the vegetable produces disappear. Over moderate heat, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons

of butter in a heavy 2- or 3-quart soup pot or casserole. When the foam subsides, add the onion, green pepper and garlic, and cook without browning

for about 5 minutes. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of flour, and when it has

been absorbed by the vegetables, cook 2 to 3 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Pour in the chicken stock and stir with a whisk to dissolve the

flour. Then add the okra, the tomatoes, the herb bouquet, thyme, salt

and a few grindings of black pepper. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to its

lowest point and simmer, partially covered, for '/2 hour. Then drop in

the shrimp, simmer for 5 minutes and add the crab meat and oysters. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes, or only until the oysters curl around the edges

and the crab meat is heated through. Season with the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and the '4 teaspoon Tabasco, or more to taste.

To serve, it is customary to ladle the gumbo over small mounds of hot

rice in deep soup plates. However, the rice may be omitted if you prefer