The American Favorites section is where we have placed recipes for dishes that have become American favorites; these recipes are for foods that are enjoyed by many people throughout this great country of ours. In this particular section, I won't assign a specific part of the country as being the origin of the recipe.
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8 T butter Herb bouquet of of 6 sprigs parsley
2 ten-ounce packages frozen okra, and a large bay leaf, tied with cord
thoroughly defrosted and thinly ½ tsp thyme
sliced, or 1 pound fresh okra, 2 tsp salt
thinly sliced Freshly ground black pepper
½ c finely chopped onion 1 pound of small raw shrimp, shelled
½ c finely chopped green pepper and deveined
½ tsp finely chopped garlic ½ pound lump crab meat, fresh or canned
2 T flour 16 oysters, shucked
4 c chicken stock, fresh or canned 2 tsp lemon juice
2 c coarsely chopped fresh ripe 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
tomatoes, or an equivalent amount ¼ tsp Tabasco
of drained canned tomatoes 2 c hot steamed rice (optional)
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In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan, melt 4 T of the butter over moderate
heat. Add the fresh or frozen okra and, stirring constantly, cook until the
okra stops "roping," that is, until the white threads the vegetable
produces disappear. Over moderate heat, melt the remaining 4 T of butter in
a heavy 2- or 3-quart soup pot or casserole. When the foam subsides, add
the onion, green pepper and garlic, and cook without browning for about 5
minutes. Stir in the 2 T of flour, and when it has been absorbed by the
vegetables, cook 2 to 3 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Pour in the
chicken stock and stir with a whisk to dissolve the flour. Then add the
okra, the tomatoes, the herb bouquet, thyme, salt and a few grindings of
black pepper. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to its lowest point and
simmer, partially covered, for ½ hour. Then drop in the shrimp, simmer for
5 minutes and add the crab meat and oysters. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes, or
only until the oysters curl around the edges and the crab meat is heated
through. Season with the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and the ¼ tsp
Tabasco, or more to taste.To serve, it is customary to ladle the gumbo over small mounds of hot rice in deep soup plates. However, the rice may be omitted if you prefer. Serves 8 to 10.
