1 1/2 Pounds Of Cleaned, Shelled And Deveined Shrimp

An Andouille Sausage Link Cut Into About 1/4 Inch Thick Circles

A Pound Of Frozen Cut Okra

3/4 Cup Of Diced Green Bell Pepper

3/4 Cup Of Diced Spanish Onion

3/4 Cup Of Diced Celery

Three Cloves Of Minced Garlic

3/4 Cup Of Tomato Puree

A Bay Leaf

Two Sprigs Of Fresh Thyme

Two Sprigs Of Fresh Parsley

A Cup Of Vegetable Oil

A Cup Of All-Purpose Flour

Four Cups Of Seafood Or Chicken Stock

1 1/2 Teaspoons Of Sea Salt, Divided

Red Cayenne Pepper (To Taste)

Into a Dutch oven, add the flour and the vegetable oil. Put the pot on medium heat. Start by whisking the flour and the vegetable oil to get out any lumps. Continue to cook the mixture while stirring with a wooden spoon until it takes on a dark brown color. This will take about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the onions. Cook while stirring for 2 minutes.

Turn the heat up to medium high. Add the sausage, the garlic, the green bell pepper, and the celery. Cook while sitrring for 2 minutes. Add the tomato puree, a teaspoon of  sea salt, the cayenne pepper (as much as you want), and the bay leaf. Stir the mixture to incorporate all of the ingredients. Add the stock to the pot and bring the mixture to a slight boil while stirring frequently. After the mixture begins to boil, turn the heat down to low. Tie the thyme and the parsley sprigs together with butcher’s twine. Add this herb bundle to the pot. Add the okra to the Dutch oven. Cover and simmer on low heat stirring occasionally for 40 minutes.

After 40 minutes, remove the bay leaf and the herb bundle from the pot. Taste the gumbo and add more sea salt and/or cayenne pepper, if desired. Remove the lid and turn the heat up to medium. Sprinkle the shrimp with sea salt and red cayenne pepper. Add the shrimp and let the gumbo cook with the lid off until the shrimp begin to curl and become pink in color.

Turn the heat off. Serve with grits or white rice. Garnish with chopped scallions and chopped Italian parsley.