Seafood Gumbo (Louisiana)

¾ cup olive oil
1 cup flour, unbleached
1½ cups onions, finely chopped
¾ cup green bell peppers, finely chopped
¾ cup celery, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. garlic, finely chopped
1-12 oz bottle amber beer
6 cups Shrimp Stock or Chicken Stock
¼ tsp. dried thyme
2 bay leaves
½ lb gumbo crabs or uncooked or frozen blue crabs, defrosted (about 2)
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb white fish fillets, such as catfish, grouper, snapper, or sole
1 Tbsp. Emeril's Essence
2 cups shucked oysters with their liquor
¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
½ cup scallion tops, chopped
file powder, for garnish

Place an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat; add oil. When oil is hot, and add flour. Using a wooden spoon, stir oil and flour together to form a roux, and cook until it becomes the color of milk chocolate, 20-25 minutes. Add onions, bell peppers, and celery; stir until well combined, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook for 30 seconds. Add beer and shrimp stock; season with thyme, bay leaves, crabs, Worcestershire, salt, and cayenne.

Bring gumbo to a boil, and immediately reduce heat to a simmer. Let gumbo cook, simmering, about 1 hour, skimming surface occasionally.

Season shrimp and fish fillets with Emeril's Essence. Add to gumbo and stir to combine; cook for 2 minutes.

Add oysters, and cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Serve gumbo garnished with parsley, scallion tops, and file powder in shallow bowls over white rice.

Makes 10-12 servings.