Gumbo Ala Anona

Roux: start w/ 1 cup of oil and flour

If gets dark start over!

Add chopped veggies to hot roux until thick mass forms-set aside.

Boil shrimp shells to start soup broth. Strain broth into large pot. Add chicken broth or fish broth.

Saute sausage in fry pan. (Cotechino +) I use polish sausage and/or chorizo. Once browned, set aside or add to broth.

Saute cut okra in juice from sausage. Add olive oil if necessary. Cut the slime with lemon juice & balsamic vinegar. Add tomatoes (1-3 lg.) and simmer slowly until there is no slime. Add to broth.

Add roux mix and sausage to broth. Start simmering soup.

Add following seasonings to your taste:

Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp;

bay leaves-2/3;

Lemon slices 2-3;

cloves, both ground and whole;

thyme;

red pepper

black pepper

ground or fresh ginger

nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon

2-3 tbsp of brown sugar

splash of white wine

whatever hot pepper sauce you like- 3-4 splashes

Simmer 2-3 hrs

Add crabs or crab meat, scallops last 10 minutes.

When soup is boiling, Add shrimp at end and cook three minutes.

Turn off soup and add file'. Stir and look for lines formed by file'