Shrimp and Crab Gumbo

This is a big, wonderful and messy Louisianan comfort meal to be enjoyed at leisure with family and good friends.

Recipe Ingredients:

For the stock:
12 live crabs
2 pounds extremely fresh heads-on shrimp or 1 1/2 pounds headless shrimp
1 tablespoon olive oil
A handful of your favorite fresh herbs
1 gallon water
2 celery ribs, broken into pieces
2 carrots, broken into pieces
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered

For the Gumbo:
1/2 cup dark roux*
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 pound okra, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 vine-ripened tomatoes (about 2 pounds), peeled and chopped, or one 28-ounce can peeled tomatoes with their juice
2 fresh jalapeño or other hot peppers
3 cups long grain white rice

Cooking Directions:

1. To make the stock, partially clean the live crabs, refrigerating the meat filled body and claws for addition to the gumbo later. Rinse the backs well in the water. Peel the shrimp and remove the heads, refrigerating the bodies for use later. Lightly grease the bottom of a large stockpot with the oil, then add the crab backs and cook over high heat until they turn red, stirring frequently. Add the shrimp heads and/or shells and continue cooking over medium-high heat until they turn pink. Add the remaining stock ingredients and cook at a low boil, skimming as necessary, until the desired intensity of flavor is reached. In about an hour it will have reduced to about 3 quarts; it should be delicious. Strain out and discard the solids, reserving the stock.
2. To make the gumbo, heat the roux in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and bell pepper and cook until the onions begin to become transparent, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes. Add the okra and cook, stirring often, until all the ropiness is gone, about 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the hot peppers and reserved stock and simmer, uncovered, for about an hour.
3. About 30 minutes before serving, cook the rice in a separate pot.
4. Fifteen minutes before serving, add the reserved crab claws and bodies to the gumbo and increase the heat. Five minutes before serving, add the shrimp.
5. Serve in large bowls over fluffy white rice, with hand towels as napkins.

Makes 12 servings.

*For a dark roux combine 1/4 cup vegetable oil and and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour in a skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until roux is the color of chocolate, about 30 minutes.