Basic Seafood Gumbo Recipe With Classic Herbs and Okra

Ingredients (21)

• 3 quarts water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 small onion, cut into wedges
• Salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 pounds shrimp, in shells
• 1 1/2 cups crabmeat
• 1 teaspoon parsley, or to taste
• 2 pounds okra, sliced
• 4 tablespoons bacon grease, butter or duck fat, divided
• 4 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 green peppers, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
• 4 tablespoons brown roux (see recipes, below)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, or to taste
• 1 cup rice cooked, optional for serving
• 1/4 teaspoon ground dried thyme, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley, optional