File:

1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. flour
4 stalks celery chopped
2 med. onions
1 sm. green pepper
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 lb. okra
1 tbsp. oil

Gumbo:

1 qt. chicken broth
1 qt. water
1/2 c. Worcestershire
1 tsp. Hot Sauce
1/4 c. catsup
1 sm. tomato
2 slices bacon
1 sm. ham slice, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. Rosemary
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 lbs. Shrimp
2 c. chopped cooked chicken 1 lb. fresh crab
1 can (12 oz.) fresh oysters

Start with a base of oil and flour. Put oil and flour in a pot cook over medium heat stirring constantly, 15 to 20 minutes, or until caramel color. Stir in celery, onion, green pepper and garlic and cook for 45 minutes, stir occasionally. Fry okra in 1 tablespoon oil until brown, add to gumbo and stir well over low heat for a few minutes, at this stage the mixture may be cooled and saved for later, can be frozen. Add broth and next 11 ingredients. Simmer 2 1/2 hours stir occasionally. Peal and clean shrimp, add shrimp, chicken, crab meat and oysters if desired, during last 10 minutes of simmering period, remove bay leaf, serve over rice, add gumbo file if desired. Yields 14 cups.