Cajun Style Gumbo

Photo: flickr user Kent Wang

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter

3 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 jalapeno pepper, chopped

1/2 lg. onion, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

6 cups water

1 (4 oz.) can tomato sauce

1/2 pound okra, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon Accent

2 tablespoons chicken bouillon base

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon gumbo file

1/2 pound peeled, deveined shrimp

1/4 pound diced, cooked chicken

Roux

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons flour

Cooked rice

Preparation

Melt butter in large kettle. Add celery, jalapeno pepper, onions, green pepper and green onions. Saute for 5 minutes. Add water, tomato sauce, okra, garlic salt, pepper, cayenne, Accent, chicken base, Worcestershire sauce and gumbo file. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. While mixture is simmering, make and add roux.

Heat oil in skillet over high heat until very hot. Add flour and stir constantly with whisk until dark brown. BE CAREFUL NOT TO SCORCH. Stir into mixture thoroughly. After mixture has simmered 45 minutes, stir in shrimp and chicken. Cover, remove from heat, let sit 15 minutes. Serve over hot rice. Makes 9 cups.