Gumbo à la Creole

Description
Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

 * 1½ cups chopped onion
 * 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
 * ¼ cup flour
 * 5 cups fish stock
 * 1 x 28-ounce can tomatoes
 * 2 dozen or 3 cups shucked oysters (drain; reserve liquid)
 * 1 10-ounce package frozen sliced okra
 * 2 teaspoons salt
 * 2 teaspoons lemon pepper
 * ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
 * ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
 * bouquet garni
 * ½ pound cubed boneless white fish
 * ½ pound peeled deveined shrimp
 * ½ pound crab fingers or crab meat
 * 1 tablespoon gumbo file
 * 6 cups hot cooked rice

Directions

 * 1) Sauté onion in oil until well browned.
 * 2) Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until a deep brown color is obtained.
 * 3) Stir in fish stock, tomatoes, liquid from oysters, okra, salt, lemon pepper, black pepper, red pepper and bouquet garni.
 * 4) Cook, uncovered, about 30 minutes.
 * 5) Add fish, shrimp, crab fingers and oysters.
 * 6) Continue cooking about 10 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and oysters begin to curl.
 * 7) Remove bouquet garni.
 * 8) Just before serving, add gumbo file.
 * 9) Never let gumbo boil after file is added.
 * 10) Serve in shallow bowls with rice.