What is your best gumbo recipe?

Seafood Gumbo

2 pounds shrimp
1 pint oysters -- whole
1 can crab meat
2 tbs. oil
2 tbs. flour
3 cups okra pods -- chopped
2 medium onion -- chopped
2 tbs. oil
1 can tomatoes -- diced
2 quarts water
1 medium bay leaf
1 tsp. salt
3 cloves garlic -- minced
red pepper flakes

Peel and devein the uncooked shrimp. Make a dark roux of the flour and oil. Add the shrimp to this for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Set aside. Smother and sweat the okra and onions in oil. When this is nearly cooked, add the tomatoes. Then add the water, bay leaf, garlic, salt, and pepper. When this is hot, add the shrimp and the roux. Cover and
cook slowly for 15 minutes. Add the oysters and the crab meat and cook another 15 minutes. If you choose not to use okra, add file powder just before serving. Serve over mounds of white rice.

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oil
1 chicken, boiled and shredded
1 lb andouille sausage.
1 large yellow onion
1 large green pepper
1 stalk celery
minced garlic
cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
salt
black pepper
1 can rotel tomatoes
file powder and rice

make a dark roux with the oil and flower. It should look like dark chocolate. add the trinity (onion, celery, and pepper) and cook till soft. this will stop the roux from cooking longer. add the Cayenne, garlic, bay leaf and tomatoes. SLOWLY add the stock from the chicken till you get the consistency you want (i like it kind of thick. add the sausage and bring to boil. reduce heat and simmer one hour. Uncover, reseason if needed and add chicken. cook till chicken is tender, pour over rice, top with file power and enjoy.