"This gumbo is hearty and has an intense flavor. Cook this meal for family and friends on a winter day to warm their souls."
-Bob Sullivan

For shrimp and okra gumbo:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons flour
1 large chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
5 or 6 cloves chopped garlic
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomatoes
1 pound fresh sliced okra (or 2 boxes of frozen sliced okra)
2 pounds fresh shrimp
2-3 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons Louisiana hot sauce

1. Heat the oil in a heavy cast iron skillet and add the flour. Continue to stir until the flour is dark brown. Add the next four ingredients; stir until onions are clear.
2. Add tomato sauce and stir until the mixture gets crumbly or dry. Add tomatoes and okra to pot.
3. Cook slowly, adding 2 to 3 cups of water-a little at a time. Season with Louisiana hot sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in one teaspoon of sugar.
4. Cook for about an hour on a low fire, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot; add water if necessary. Add the shrimp and the bay leaf.
5. Cook another 30 minutes to an hour, seasoning to taste.
6. Serve over boiled or steamed rice.

Jeff's drink suggestion: "Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is an exceptionally full-bodied, complex beer. The flavor compliments Bob's New Orleans style gumbo."