Update my dinner status, I'm making this tonight.
Servings: 12 Servings
Total Time (median): 0 : 00 Active Time: 0 : 00
US/Metric: [convert to metric]
Ingredients
Preparation
Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving heads and shells. Season shrimp with red, white, and black peppers, some garlic powder, and onion powder too. Set aside.
Throw shrimp heads and peels into a stock pot. Begin heating while at the same time mashing the heads with a potato masher. Add a bit of water. Continue cooking and mashing to render as much fat as possible from the shrimp heads. Add more water, cover, and simmer to make a shrimp stock.
Heat up the oil in a heavy sauce pan till very hot. Add the flour and whisk vigrously and continuously. Keep at it until the roux is at least as dark as peanut butter.
When you're happy with your roux, remove from fire and blend in a handful of green peppers and onions just to help cool down the roux. Continue stirring until you're certain the roux is no longer cooking. Set aside.
In large pot, heat up a bit of oil; add sausage pieces and cook until nicely browned. Remove sausage and set aside.
Add onions to the pot and cook for a couple of minutes. Add green peppers and garlic. Cook until translucent. Add the tomatoes and cook until heated through.
Add the okra. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Stir and cook until the "spider webs" no longer are present. (That's the stringy slime that sticks to the spoon and resembles white threads.)
Once the okra is sufficiently cooked, ladle a bit of the shrimp stock into the roux, and blend well to make up a gravy. Pour this gravy over into the gumbo pot along with any remaining stock. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
Correct the seasoning with additional red, white, and black pepper if needed. Bring to a high simmer, and add shrimp. Cook just until shrimp turn pink.
Serve over rice with filet powder as a garnish.
Enjoy!
