Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients

Stock:
6 gumbo crabs and/or
4 cups shrimp or crawfish shells and/or
1/2 gallon oyster water, strained
1 small onion, cut up
2 ribs celery, cut up
Stems from one bunch of parsley
1 Tbs. black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. thyme
~
Gumbo:
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 lbs. okra
2 medium onions, chopped
1 very ripe (turning red) green bell pepper, seeds and membrane removed, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 tsp. oregano
1 Tbs. Creole seasoning
Hot sauce
Salt
1/4 cup finely snipped green onions
Pick any two (or pick more, using less of each)
2 lbs. peeled large shrimp and/or
1 lb. claw crabmeat and/or
2 cups crawfish tails and/or
3-4 dozen oysters
Roux:
1/2 cup olive oil (not extra-virgin)
2/3 cup flour

Instructions

1
Make the stock by bringing about a gallon of water (including oyster water, if available) to a light boil. Add all the remaining stock ingredients. Return to a bare simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. Strain the stock and discard all the solids.
2
In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil until it shimmers. Add the okra and cook, stirring, for about three minutes. Remove the okra and drain the pot, but leave a film of oil in it.
3
Add the onions, bell pepper, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are soft. Then add the stock to the pot, and bring to a simmer. Add the bay leaves, thyme, oregano, and Creole seasoning.
4
While the gumbo simmers, make the roux. Heat the I olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the flour and whisk until it changes texture. Then shift to a wooden spoon (preferably one with a flat end)and stir until the roux reaches the color of pecans. Remove the roux pan from the heat.
5
Add a cup of hot gumbo to the roux and whisk it in. Then add about two-thirds of the roux mixture back into the gumbo and whisk it in. Add more warm roux, a little at a time, until the soup is the color and texture that seem right to you. (You might not use all the roux.)
6
Simmer the gumbo for about an hour. Taste and add salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Just before serving, add the shrimp, crabmeat, crawfish tails, and/or oysters. Simmer until the seafoods are heated through--about two or three minutes. Serve with long-grain rice, garnished with the chopped green onions.