Gumbo

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped bell peppers
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 5 bay leaves
• 8 cups shrimp stock
• 1 pound fish pieces (any white fish available-i.e. escolar, amberjack, pompano, etc.)
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 pound crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
• 2 dozen oysters with their liquid
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• File powder
• 2 cups cooked white rice
• 2 tablespoon chopped green onions
• Loaf crusty French bread
• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme