6    Hard Shell Crabs
2 lb Sliced Okra
2 tb Flour
5 tb Oil
1 tb Butter
1/2 c  Chopped Green Onions
1 c  Finely chopped Onions
3    Cloves finely chopped garlic
1    Chopped Green Pepper
1/2 c  Chopped Celery
2 lb Shrimp(save peel)
8 c  Water
1 c  Diced Ham
1 cn Tomatoes
2 ts Salt
1/4 ts Black Pepper
5    Dashes of Tabasco
3    Bay Leaves
1/2 ts Powdered Thyme
1/2 ts Basil

Boil crabs for 20 mins. in lightly salted water. Remove, save water. Put 2
Tbsp. of oil and 1 of butter in a non-cast iron skillet and fry Okra until
all traces of sliminess disappear. In a deep pot, put remaining oil, stir
in flour, make dark brown roux. Add onions, garlic, green peppers and
celery to roux, stir for 5 min. Add diced ham and cook for 10 min. on low
heat. Stir in tomatoes, shrimp and simmer. In 8 cups of crab water, boil
the shrimp heads, peelings for 15 mins. Add the Okra to the large pot, stir
for a few minutes then strain the shrimp water to the mixture. Add the
remainig seasonings and simmer slowly for 2 hours. Remove the back shell,
belly flap, legs and claws from the crabs. Clean out all unwanted material
from the crabs, break crabs in half and lightly crack the claws. Add crab
halves & claws to the pot. Cook another 15 mins. adding the green onions
during the last 5. Serve over rice. If File is desired, sprinkle over rice
prior to adding the gumbo.