Pam Peltier's Creole Gumbo recipe

1 large chicken
1 cup oil
1 cup sifted flour
8 stalks celery
3 large onions
1 green pepper
2 cloves of garlic
1 pound sliced okra
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup catsup
1/2 can tomatoes
2 tsp. Salt
1 to 2 links of smoked sausage
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. Thyme
1/4 tsp. Rosemary or red pepper flakes
2 pounds crab meat
4 pounds pealed shrimp
hot cooled rice

Cook chicken in kettle in salted water to cover until tender; reserve 2 quarts stock. Remove meat from bones; cut into bite-size pieces. Set aside. Heat oil in large iron pot. Add flour slowly; cook until roux is medium to dark brown. Chop celery, onions, green pepper and garlic; add to roux. Cook over low heat stirring constantly, until soft. Fry okra until brown; add chicken, reserved stock, 2 quarts water, Worcestershire sauce, catsup, tomatoes, salt, sausage, bay leaves, thyme and rosemary. Simmer for about 3 hours. Add crab meat and shrimp; simmer for about 30 minutes longer. Stir in file if desired. Serve hot gumbo over rice. Yield: 10 to 12 servings.