6 to 8 servings
YouTube instructional video is at the bottom
What you’ll need
2 pounds Fresh Whole okra
1 or 2 pounds Fresh Louisiana Shrimp
1 pound D&D smoked sausage
Tomato paste (No salt added)
Olive oil
Salted butter
Seasonings
1 yellow onion
Celery
Bell pepper
Garlic
Salt
Black pepper
Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning
Chef Paul’s Seafood magic
Chef Paul’s Vegetable magic
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Dried Oregano
Dried Basil
Dried Thyme
Bay leaves
Preparation of ingredients
Meat, seafood and seasonings
Step 1- Chop 1/2 of a yellow onion, 3 ribs of celery, 1/2 of a green bell pepper and 2 cloves garlic until minced. Rinse off celery and bell peppers before chopping.
Step 2- Add okra into strainer and rinse with cold water. From there cut okra in 1/2 inch thick slices and set aside.
Step 3- Cut 1/2 to 1 pound D&D smoked sausage or any smoked sausage of your choosing.
Step 4-Remove shrimp heads and shells off of shrimp tail and place into one bowl and place the shrimp tails into a separate bowl.
Step 5- Carefully cut open the back of the shrimp tail and remove the contents of the shrimp’s digestive tract. Add shrimp tails into a strainer and rinse with cold water. Place into an air tight bowl covered with a lid. Place into fridge until ready to be cooked.
Making the Shrimp stock
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 6- Add 2 quarts water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning into a medium sized pot. Let come to a simmer. Add Shrimp heads and shells and stir until combined. Let simmer for 1 hour.
Step 7- Add mixture into a mesh strainer with a medium sized bowl underneath it. Discard shrimp heads and shells. You should have 4 cups Shrimp stock left over. Let cool completely.
Baking the okra
Note- It will be difficult to remove the slime from the store purchased okra.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Step 8- Spread 2 teaspoons olive oil onto an 11 by 17 inch baking pan. Add okra, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil into a medium sized bowl. Coat the oil and salt on the okra.
Step 9- Place into a preheated 375 degrees for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
Making the Smothered okra
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 10- Add 3 tablespoons salted butter, 1 cup chopped yellow onion, 2/3 cup chopped celery, and 2/3 cup chopped green bell pepper into a large sauce pan. Stir all ingredients together and let saute for 8 to 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
Step 11- Add 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, 2 cup shrimp stock, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon Chef Paul’s Seafood magic, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Chef Paul’s Vegetable magic, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 3 bay leaves, 1/4 cup tomato paste and 1 or 2 teaspoons Sugar (optional) Stir with whisk until combined and let come to a simmer.
Step 12- Add baked okra and 1 1/4 cups shrimp stock. Stir all ingredients together and let simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
Step 13- Add Shrimp tails and smoked sausage. Stir all ingredients together and let simmer for 5 to 6 minutes stirring occasionally.
Tips- Mixture will thicken as it cools. If you want any issues with liquid evaporation you can add more shrimp stock or water as needed. Once the cooking process is done you can remove the bay leaves.
YouTube instructional video
