Shrimp and Andouille Gumbo

I first made this last Sunday before the project started, but I made it again on Friday night after dinner because we still had all the ingredients and froze it for future use. This recipe is from Epicurious by Chef Bruce Mattel, The Culinary Institute of America

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 small onion minced (about 1/2 cup)
1 small green pepper minced (about 1/2 cup) I used a red bell pepper b/c that what I had.
2 stalks celery minced (about 1/2 cup)
1 quart chicken stock (I used a boullion cube and a quart of water, since I didn't have chicken stock, but I plan to make some as soon as I roast a chicken)
2 bay leaves
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut into 1/2" dice
1/4 pound Hot Links Sausage, cut into 1/2" thick rounds
1/2 pound okra*, trimmed and cut into 1/2" thick rounds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups cooked white rice

Accompaniments:
Hot Pepper Sauce, such as Tabasco or Cholula Hot Sauce Ingredients: Water, Peppers (Arbol and Piquin), Salt, Vinegar, Spices and Xanthum Gum
Filé Powder

In a 4-quart heavy stock pot over moderately high heat, heat oil. Reduce heat to moderately low nad whisk in flout. Cook, stirring frequently with wooden spoon or heatproof silicone spatula, until mixture becomes dark brown and has intensely nutty aroma. This could take anywhere from 10-45 minutes. The longer you go, the darker and richer your roux will be.

Stir in onion, pepper, celery and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables soften, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in stock. Raise heat to moderate and bring to simmer, then reduce heat to moderately low and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, until mixture has thickened, 15-20 minutes.

Add bay leaves, shrimp, sausage and okra* and simmer, uncovered until okra is tender, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaves and stir in salt, cayenne and black pepper.


Notes
*We didn't have any of cayenne pepper, and the three stores withing walking distance of my house didn't either, so we substituted Franks Hot Sauce. Ingredients: Aged Cayenne Red Peppers, Vinegar, Water, Salt and Garlic Powder
**I learned after making this, that you should fry the okra before using in the gumbo to get the slime off. This is pretty simple and can be done a head of time and frozen. Just heat some oil, cut up to the okra and fry it in the oil until it seems like the slime is gone. You can see the slime.

BTW - This is my first attempt at Gumbo. If you are experienced with this, I would love to hear your advice to make it better. That goes for any recipes posted here.