Commander’s Palace is a New Orleans institution, they make fabulous gumbo.  Gumbo is a medley of seafood, onions, garlic, peppers, roux, if you haven’t tried gumbo, you don’t know what you are missing.

6 Tbsp. Flour
1/2 C. Shortening
6 cloves Garlic, chopped
1/2 C. diced Onion
1/4 C. chopped Bell Pepper
1/2 C. chopped Celery
2 lbs. peeled raw Shrimp
1 (8 oz.) can Tomato Sauce
3 qts. Water
1 lbs. Claw Crabmeat
1/4 bunch chopped Parsley
1/2 tsp. Thyme
3 Bay Leaves
1 8 (oz.) pkg. frozen Okra
1/2 pint Oysters with Juice
Salt and Pepper

Make a roux with the flour and shortening. Add garlic and cook until golden brown. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook until transparent. Add shrimp and tomato sauce, simmer 10 minutes, stir in water, and blend well. Add all other ingredients except okra and oysters. Cook 1 hour, add okra, and cook 20 minutes. Add oysters and cook 10 minutes longer. Serve in a soup bowl over steamed rice.
Makes 1 gallon.