1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. all purpose flour
2 lg. onions, chopped
3 tbsp. butter
4 c. coarsely chopped fresh okra
2 2/3 c. chopped seeded tomatoes
2 lg. green peppers, seeded, chopped
4 lg. cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. butter
2 1/2 lbs. med. shrimp, shelled, deveined
2 1/2 qts. boiling water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 tbsp. crushed dried red peppers
4 tsp. salt
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves
2 tbsp. file powder (opt.)
Hot cooked rice

1. Mix oil and flour in small heavy saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until roux is the color of dark mahogany, about 45 minutes (roux must get very dark brown but not burned; do not undercook); reserve.

2. Saute onions in 3 tablespoons butter in large heavy Dutch oven until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in okra. Saute until okra is tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; saute 30 minutes.

3. Saute green peppers and garlic in 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet 5 minutes. Add shrimp. Saute until shrimp turn pink, about 5 minutes. Add shrimp mixture, water, bouillon, red peppers, salt, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, allspice, black pepper, thyme and reserved roux to okra mixture.

Simmer covered 1 1/2 hours. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Ladle into serving bowls; top each with a scoop of rice. Pass file powder, if desired. (NOTE: Use large soup bowls as the gumbo is a soup.) 8 servings.

Serve with a salad composed of lettuce, tomato slices, avocado slices and mushroom slices with a vinaigrette dressing, sprinkled with chopped parsley.