Lynn's Crab & Shrimp Gumbo
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup flour
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound okra, trimmed and sliced
1 gallon shrimp stock
1 teaspoon thyme
Salt, freshly ground black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
3 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 pounds fresh lump crabmeat, picked over
6 cups cooked Louisiana long-grain white rice (I like Ellis Stansel's Gourmet
Rice from Gueydan, Louisiana)
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot and add the flour. Cook the roux, stirring
constantly, to a light brown if you want it Creole-style, and to a dark, almost
milk chocolate color if you want it Cajun-style. Just before the roux reaches
the proper color, add the vegetables and stir like hell, being careful not to
spatter yourself. When the vegetables are tender, add the stock, salt, and
peppers. Stir until the roux is dissolved, and simmer over low heat for one
hour.
Add the shrimp about 5 minutes before serving, then add the crabmeat by the
handful (it's a lot of fun to just dump in all that wonderful sweet crabmeat
with your bare hands), then cook over low heat just until the shrimp turn pink
and the crabmeat is warmed through. Serve in large soup or gumbo bowls over
about 1/2 cup of cooked rice per serving.