SHRIMP INSPIRED BY FORREST GUMP | PART 1

For the Shrimp Prep

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.

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.

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 the Shrimp Gumbo

Start by chopping some celery, green peppers, and onions. Then mince six cloves of garlic and slice some okra.

For the Shrimp Stock:

Saute the shrimp shells in a little vegetable oil for five minutes and then add water, letting it simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain it and you should end up with 4 cups of shrimp stock.

For the roux:

Start by heating vegetable oil over medium heat until it’s almost smoking, then add all-purpose flour. Stir rigorously and constantly while it goes through the different phases of roux until it becomes a nice dark chocolate color.

Pour the mix of chopped vegetables (celery, green peppers, and onions) into the pot and stir.

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.

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.

Season with some paprika and cayenne pepper.

Add in some andouille sausage (if you can’t find andouille sausage, you can use some smoked kielbasa) with fresh bay leaves.

Stir and let simmer for 1 solid hour.

Remove the bay leaves and add the raw shrimp to cook for four minutes.

Add some freshly cut parsley and stir it all together and letting it cook for 1 minute.

Turn off the heat and prepare to serve with some white rice.

Ladle the gumbo around and over a mound of rice and garnish with green onions and freshly cut parsley.

For the Shrimp Salad Sandwich:

Start by using some tailless boiled, or poached, shrimp that has been chilled. Mix with mayonnaise, a generous squeeze of lemon juice, fresh chopped parsley, fresh chopped dill, fresh chopped celery, and some fresh chopped green onions.

Add a little salt, and mix all the ingredients together until you have a nice consistency.

Once it has been completely mixed together, place onto a toasted bun with butter lettuce and optional tomatoes, and enjoy!

For the Coconut Shrimp:

Start by combining shredded coconut and panko bread crumbs then mix together.

Place flour in a separate dry bowl.

Make 1 wet bowl that consists of egg, Mexican beer, baking powder, and flour. Whisk until all has been mixed together into a light slurry batter. Optional: Add lime juice to this wet batter.

Bread the shrimp using the dry hand-wet hand method (one hand for dry things, and one hand for wet things). Flour first, then the wet batter, then the coconut/panko mixture. Repeat until all of the shrimp has been breaded. Make sure to press hard into the coconut breading to make sure enough coconut gets stuck to the shrimp.

Place into a fryer with peanut oil heated between 325-350°F.

Cook for only 2 minutes until they are nice and crispy brown.

Place onto a plate and hit them with a little kosher salt while they are still hot.

Plate them and serve them with some sort of dipping sauce, and enjoy.

For the Pan Frying:

Heat a few tablespoons of vegetable oil until it is smoking and then add the shrimp.

Let the shrimp cook for 2 minutes on one side before flipping (make sure to use the baking soda mix for this method to get the extra caramelization on the outside of the shrimp).

Once the shrimp have been flipped, lower the heat and add some compound butter (butter mixed with parsley and fresh garlic) and a generous squeeze of lemon.

Turn the heat up one last time to melt the butter, and to make sure all of the shrimp is cooked through.

Plate with a crusty bread or pasta, and enjoy.

For the Boiled Shrimp (Using the tailless shrimp)

Throw a couple bay leaves and a big hunk of lemon into some water with a few generous pinches of kosher salt and whole peppercorns.

Cover the pot of water and bring it to a boil.

Add the shrimp and immediately cut the heat, covering it with a lid. Let it sit for 8-10 minutes or until the shrimp are fully cooked.

If your recipe calls for cold shrimp, immediately shock them in an ice bath.

After sitting in the ice bath for a few minutes, drain them and you are ready to go. This is ideal for shrimp cocktail.

For the Broiling Shrimp:

Mix Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper with a teaspoon of baking powder.

Toss the shrimp with a little bit of our spiced mixture.

Lay the shrimp out on a greased rack on a baking sheet.

Place them in a preheated broiler oven for about 6 minutes, flipping halfway through. With this method we are getting some nice charring on the tails which can be desirable for some recipes.

For the Baked Shrimp:

Mix Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper with a teaspoon of baking powder.

Toss the shrimp with a little bit of the spiced mixture.

Lay the shrimp out on a greased rack on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Pop them in a 400°F oven for 6-8 minutes until they are pink and cooked through.