Ingredients

• Olive oil, for sauteing
• 1 1/2 medium-sized onions, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup celery, cut crosswise into 1/3 (use the middle 1/3 only) and coarsely chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 6 cups baked okra, sliced 1/4-inch thick and baked for about 10 minutes in baking pan
• Roux, recipe follows
• 6 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• Stock, recipe follows
• 1 pound shrimp heads reserved for stock
• 2 or 3 crabs, cleaned,and chopped into chunks
• Lemon slices
• Chopped green onions
• Serving suggestion: with rice or as a soup

Directions

Roux:

1/2 cup flour

Olive oil

Combine the ingredients in a separate pan. Brown on a medium high heat until it turns light brown.

Stock:

9 cups water

Shrimp heads

1 stalk celery

1/2 lemon

1 bay leaf

3 basil leaves

Creole seasoning (recommended: Dash)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine ingredients in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour.

Yield: 6 servings