Seafood gumbo

• 900 g2 lb head-on shrimp, peeled and deveined; heads and shells kept for stock
• 2-4 small blue crabs, cleaned; or 450 g (1 lb) crab claws
• 3 l12 1/2 cups water, for the stocks
• 12 shucked oysters with their liquor, optional
• 450 g1 lb okra, fresh or frozen, sliced into 1 cm (1/2 in) rounds
• 180 ml3/4 cup vegetable oil, 2 tbsp for the okra, the rest for the roux
• 60 g1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for the roux
• 2 onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 rib celery, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 450 g16 oz chopped tomatoes, fresh and peeled, or one can
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp salt, then to taste
• 1/2 tsp each black and white pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 4 green onions, sliced, to finish
• 300 g1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, boiled separately, to serve

Method

1. 1

   1. Peel and devein the shrimp and keep them covered in the fridge. Rinse the heads and shells, cover them with 2 l (8 1/2 cups) of the water and simmer for 30-45 minutes, then strain.

2. 2

   2. At the same time, simmer the cleaned crabs in the remaining 1 l (4 cups) of water for 20-30 minutes. Strain, keeping both the stock and the crabs.

3. 3

   3. When the crabs are cool enough to handle, twist off the claws and break each body in half.

4. 4

   4. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and fry the okra, stirring often, for 10-15 minutes, until it is no longer slimy.

5. 5

   5. Make the roux: in a large heavy Dutch oven, heat the remaining oil, whisk in the flour and cook over medium to medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it turns dark brown, 20-30 minutes. Do not let it scorch.

6. 6

   6. Add the onions, green pepper, celery and garlic and cook until soft, letting them catch lightly on the bottom and scraping it up, about 10 minutes.

7. 7

   7. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, black and white pepper and cayenne and cook for 10 minutes, scraping the bottom as before. Stir in the okra and cook for 10 minutes more.

8. 8

   8. Pour in the crab stock and half the shrimp stock and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat, half-cover and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring now and then. If it gets too thick, add more shrimp stock.

9. 9

   9. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the crab pieces and simmer for 10 minutes.

10. 10

    10. Add the shrimp, and the oysters with their liquor if using. Bring back just to the boil and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and firm and the oysters' edges curl. Take the pot off the heat.

11. 11

    11. Scatter over the green onions and serve over rice in deep bowls.