Slow-Cooker Recipe: Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound sliced bacon, diced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced (1 1/2 cups)
• 1 medium onion, sliced (1 cup)
• 1 green pepper, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 pound large raw shrimp, cleaned
• 1 pound fresh or frozen crabmeat
• 1 10-ounce box frozen okra, thawed and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces

Preparation

1. In a large skillet, over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Discard all but a thin coating of fat from the skillet. Add the celery, onion, green pepper, and garlic to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Spoon the vegetables into the cooker and add the broth, tomatoes (with their liquid), Worcestershire, salt, and thyme. Cover and cook on low heat for 4 hours, or on high for 2 hours. Add the shrimp, crabmeat, and okra, and cook 1 hour longer on low heat or 1/2 hour longer on high.
   
   Tip: Once the ingredients are in the pot and the slow cooker is simmering, don't lift the lid. Heat and steam escape. If you do, you'll lose an estimated 20 minutes of cooking time.