Ingredients

6 Tbsp. flour

1/2 c. butter

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 c. diced onion

1/4 c. chopped bell pepper

1/2 c. chopped celery

2 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

3 quarts water

1 lb. claw crab meat

1/4 bunch parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp. thyme

3 bay leaves

1 (8 oz.) pkg. frozen okra

1/2 pint oysters with juice

Salt and pepper

How to

Make a roux with the flour and butter. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery and cook until transparent. Add the shrimp and tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the water and blend well. Add the crab meat, parsley, thyme and bay leaves and cooke for one hour. Add the okra and cook for 20 minutes. Add the oysters and cook for 10 minutes longer.

Serve in a soup bowl over steamed rice.

Makes on gallon

Capt. Dick May is the owner of Easy Rider Charters in Bokeelia. He can be reached at 283-3247 or easyridercharters.com. Capt. Dick’s Florida Gulf Coast Seafood and Much More (cookbook) $11.50 plus $2.50 postage by calling the number above or mailing to 7989 Judge Bean Road, Bokeelia, FL 33922. Make checks payable to Dick May.