Shrimp from Forrest Gump Recipe (with Video)

For shrimp prep
1. Start by peeling the shrimp: pull off all the legs and pull the shell off at the gap left open at the legs. Keep the tail or cut it off, depending on the method you’re using to cook the shrimp.
2. Devein the shrimp by placing a slice down the back of the shrimp, revealing its intestine. Remove the vein with the back of a small knife.
3. Repeat these two steps until you are finished peeling and deveining all of your shrimp. Be sure to hold onto the peeled shells for later because they are full of shrimp flavor to make a great stock.
For shrimp gumbo
1. Start by chopping some celery, green peppers, and onions. Then mince six cloves of garlic and slice some okra.
2. For the Shrimp Stock: Saute the shrimp shells in a little vegetable oil for five minutes and then add five cups of water, letting it simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain it and you should end up with 4 cups of shrimp stock.
3. For the roux: Start by heating ½ cup of vegetable oil over medium heat until it’s almost smoking, then add ½cup of all-purpose flour. Stir rigorously and constantly while it goes through the different phases of roux until it becomes a nice dark chocolate color.
4. Pour the mix of chopped vegetables (celery, green peppers, and onions) into the pot and stir.
5. After stirring a few times, add the sliced okra and saute everything together until nice and soft before adding the minced garlic and sauteing some more.
6. Once soft and fragrant, add the 4 cups of shrimp stock. Make sure to add slowly while constantly stirring at first. Once half of the stock has been added, go ahead and pour the rest of the stock in.
7. Season with some paprika and cayenne pepper.
8. Add in some andouille sausage (if you can’t find andouille sausage, you can use some smoked kielbasa) with two fresh bay leaves.
9. Stir and let simmer for 1 solid hour.
10. Remove the bay leaves and add the raw shrimp to cook for four minutes.
11. Add some freshly cut parsley and stir it all together and letting it cook for 1 minute.
12. Turn off the heat and prepare to serve with some white rice.
13. Ladle the gumbo around and over a mound of rice and garnish with green onions and freshly cut parsley.