Patty's Shrimp Stew

This is my favorite dish that my Mom has made my whole life. I can eat bowls of it instead of dinner for days. It always tastes better the next day too!

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 3  lbs shrimp, and save shrimp heads and peels
• 1⁄2 gallon water (makes shrimp stock, keep stock)
• 1  teaspoon  zatarain's  liquid crab boil concentrate
• 1  teaspoon  zatarain's powdered  crab boil seasoning
• 1  bunch celery
• 4  tablespoons flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon celery seed
• 2  large yellow sweet onions
• 6  garlic cloves, crushed
• 2  teaspoons olive oil
• 6  hard-boiled eggs (taken out of shells)
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped fine green onion
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped fine parsley
•  salt & pepper

Directions

1. Take shrimp and dehead; peel and devein them. Save heads and shells. Place shrimp on the side.
2. SHRIMP STOCK.
3. Take shells and heads and put in deep pot. Add 1/2 gallon water, liquid and powder crab boil, cut in half celery stalks, cut in half onions, crushed garlic cloves and celery seed. Bring to a boil and cook till onions get soft. Drain pot (keep the water this is your shrimp stock) and pick out onions and garlic and dice them up and put on the side.
4. ROUX.
5. In a stick free pan put flour and heat (low heat keep warm) until flour turns dark brown without burning. Use spatula to keep turning it. *You check for darkness by taking a pinch of the flour and mixing with a drop of water till its milk chocolate brown. On the outside of the pan. Add this to one cup of the shrimp stock and mix till smooth. *Turn off and place on the side.*.
6. STEW.
7. In a deep pot, brown the onions with olive oil, then add in garlic and cook for a minute Add in shrimp and cook just till it starts to turn a color, don't completely cook shrimp yet. Add in shrimp stock (make sure to not put in the last inch of stock this is where all the spices go). Bring to a light boil. Slowly add in roux until the stew thickens. Add in green onions, parsley and boiled eggs. Cook for another two minutes *Taste* Add salt and pepper if needed.
8. *If the stew doesn't thicken enough for you, you can also make a quick thickening roux by mixing together flour and olive oil -- 1tsp to 1tsp till smooth paste. Then add to stew a little at time till you get desired thickening.*.