Every once in a while it becomes absolutely necessary for me to fix a big pot of hot gumbo. This is sort of an expensive recipe, but when you consider that it cures flat feet, grows hair on bald heads, and relieves the pain of arthritis, it sort of seems absolutely worth whatever the cost.

So now that I have satisfied my need for a fix, I’m feeling much better and have decided to share my favorite – and certainly most secret – gumbo recipe with you. There’s no trick to this except that it requires you use good, quality ingredients.

The hardest part is finding good shrimp, and I generally settle for a bag of frozen peeled and deveined when I fix this meal.

Serve over rice and have some nice bread to sop up the juice. If you really feel extravagant, use toasted bagels with cream cheese instead of bread. You’ll find this is enough for a complete meal and no rich desserts will be needed. I usually just end the meal with some fresh fruit and I think you’ll find that’s sufficient.

Jumbo Gumbo

Vegetable oil

6 cloves garlic, sliced

2 onions, chopped

28-ounce can whole tomatoes with juice, seeds removed

1 jar spaghetti sauce with mushrooms & tomato chunks

3 bay leaves

1 can green beans with juice

1 can peas with juice

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

6 spluts Tabasco sauce

1-1/2 pounds boiled shrimp, peeled & deveined

6.5-ounce can lump crab meat

Cooked rice, if desired

Put a little oil in your soup pot and fry the garlic and onions at low heat until the onions become soft and let down their juice. Add the rest of the ingredients listed through the parsley flakes, and heat well. Stir occasionally so flavors will blend.

When it’s good and hot, add the shrimp and crab meat and simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Remove the 3 bay leaves before serving.

You can serve this over rice, as I do, or in soup bowls or cups depending on whether you’re making it the meal or just a rich appetizer. You’re going to enjoy this dish, and I’ll guarantee it will cure whatever ails you every time.

Readers with questions or comments for Dave Kessler may write to him in care of this publication.