Recipe - Tabasco Classic - Eula Maes Cajun Seafood Gumbo

Three fourths cup Vegetable Oil
2 pound Fresh Okra Or Two 16 Oz.
Packages Frozen Okra,
Thawed, Thinly Sliced
1 tablespoon White Vinegar
4 qt Water
2 pound Cubed Cooked Ham
3 lg Diced Onions
2 Diced Celery Stalks
1 Head Garlic, Cloves Peeled,
But Left Whole
1 Diced Green Pepper
16 ounce Whole Tomatoes, Drained And
Chopped
4 pound Medium Shrimp, Shelled And
Deveined
2 pound Lump Crabmeat
2 teaspoon Tabasco Pepper Sauce
6 cup Cooked Rice

Eula Mae Dore is a legend on Avery Island. She recently retired as
proprietor of the Tabasco deli, where she served wonderful sandwiches and
salads to the workers who dropped in for lunch.

Heat One half cup of the oil in a large skillet (not cast iron) over medium heat
and add the okra. Cook, stirring frequently, until it is no longer ropy,
about 30 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook, stirring, for another 10
minutes, until the okra takes on a brownish color and is reduced to about a
quarter of its original volume. Put the okra in a medium bowl and set
aside.

In a large stockpot over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Meanwhile,
add the remaining One fourth cup oil and the ham to the skillet. Saute the ham
over mediumhigh heat for about 10 minutes, or until it is lightly browned.

With a slotted spoon, remove the ham to the stockpot. In the same skillet,
combine the onions, celery, garlic and pepper; cook, stirring constantly,
for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the vegetables, okra
and tomatoes to the stockpot; cover and simmer over medium heat for 1 hour.

Reduce the heat to very low, add the shrimp and simmer very slowly for 10
minutes. Add the crabmeat and Tabasco sauce; simmer for an additional 5 to
10 minutes. Serve the gumbo in soup bowls with scoops of rice.

From: The Tabasco Cookbook.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini