Charleston Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients

For the gumbo

• 40g/1½oz bacon fat, lard or vegetable oil
• 40g/1½oz plain flour
• 75g/3oz rindless smoked streaky bacon, cut into strips
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 large celery stick, sliced
• 1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
• 225g/8oz okra, thickly sliced
• 450g/1lb plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 green jalapeno chilli, thinly sliced
• 1 large sprig of thyme
• 2 bayleaves
• 225g/8oz skinned boneless chicken, cut into 5cm/2in pieces
• 20 small clams or mussels, cleaned
• 110g/4oz fresh white crab meat
• 2 spring onions, cut into 2.5cm/1in lengths
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Stock

• 450g/1lb unpeeled large raw prawns
• 4 large chicken wings
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 celery stick, sliced
• a handful of fresh herbs parsley, thyme and oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1¾ litre/3 pint water

To serve

• long grain rice