RECIPE: CLASSIC SOUTHERN GULF SHRIMP AND GRITS

CLASSIC SOUTHERN SHRIMP AND GRITS

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

For the Grits

3 cups 2% milk

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup stone-ground grits

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for garnish

 For the Shrimp

24 large fresh Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined with the tails left on, save the shells to create a shrimp stock

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped, juice reserved

3 bay leaves

1 pinch ground cayenne pepper or to taste

Juice from 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

 Directions:

For the grits: In a medium saucepan, bring the water and milk for the grits to a gentle boil. Whisk in the grits. Add the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and whisk the grits often to prevent sticking. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until the grits are soft and to a consistency you like. When the grits have thickened, stir in the cheese and butter and put a lid on the pot.

For the Shrimp: Add all the shrimp peel to a pot and cover with cool water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Allow to cool. Strain the shells and reserve the stock.

Towards the end of the cooking time for the grits, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.

Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook about a minute.

Stir in the tomatoes with half their juice; add the bay leaves and cayenne and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture is reduced and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Return the heat under the tomatoes to medium high and add1/2 cup of the reserved shrimp stock and a bit more of the tomato juice, if desired. Once it is bubbling, add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp are pink and firm, approximately 5-6 minutes.

Remove the shrimp to a plate. Stir in the lemon juice into sauce. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the final tablespoon butter and stir. Remove from heat and add the parsley. Return the shrimp to the sauce.

To serve, place a heaping spoonful of grits on each plate. Top with the shrimp and sauce. Garnish with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

RECIPE: THREE CHEESE GRITS (SO EASY!)

Do you need something quick, easy, and comforting for breakfast or brunch during the holidays? This super fast grits recipe is perfect for Christmas morning or any holiday brunch because it's not only delicious, it's quick to fix and affordable, too.

I call these my 3G Grits; it is the Gouda, Gruyere, and Goat cheeses that take these grits from everyday to gourmet. You can use whatever combo of cheeses you have... it is the perfect way to use the leftover cheese you have hanging around in the fridge.

THREE CHEESE GRITS

INGREDIENTS

2 cups quick cooking grits or stone-ground grits; cooked to package instructions

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

Kosher salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup Gouda, coarsely grated

1/2 cup Gruyere, coarsely grated

1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Smoked paprika (optional, to lightly sprinkle on top)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Generously butter a shallow baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Make grits according to package directions. Stir in butter, heavy cream as the grits are almost done. Add the peppers, and stir in the cheeses, reserving a bit of each for the top. Stir until the cheese is almost completely melted and pour into the buttered dish.

Bake at 425 for 12 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve immediately.

RECIPE: FLUFFY BEIGNETS

Pate a choux pastry is used to make all sorts of dessert deliciousness. Churros, éclairs, profiteroles, and even towering croquembouches are made from choux pastry. Beignets can also be made from choux but isn’t often used in the South; most chefs make the chewier, rolled yeast variety of beignets like they serve at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans. I prefer a fluffy choux beignet which have been made famousby my buddy Panini Pete. If you make it to his place in Fairhope or Mobile, Alabama, you'll see an early morning line forming for Pete's beignets. They taste more like a hot doughnut and are delicious fried dough heaven. Sprinkled with Confectioners’ sugar while they are hot. Serve with a squeeze of lemon. These won’t hold well once your squeeze the lemon over them but then again, they’ll go so fast you won’t have to worry about that.

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FLUFFY BEIGNETS

Prep Time: 12 minutes   Cook Time: 7-8 minutes per batch

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups water

6 ounces unsalted butter

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

6 eggs, room temperature

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Canola oil for frying

Food thermometer

Confectioners’ sugar and lemon wedges for garnish

DIRECTIONS: 

Put canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat and bring it to 350 degrees F.

Mix the salt into the flour.  

Put the water and butter in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the flour all at one time to combine and form dough which will pull away from the side of the pan. Switch to a wooden spoon. Add the eggs, two at a time, blending well with the wooden spoon between each addition. Beat the dough with the wooden spoon until it goes from ‘slippery’ and glossy to matte.  Add the vanilla and stir to incorporate.

Scoop the dough with a small ice cream scoop and place in the hot oil. Take care not to over crowd the pot or the temperature of the oil will drop and your beignets will soak up oil. Fry for 7-8 minutes, turning the beignets around frequently in the oil. Drain on paper toweling.

Serve warm with a dusting of Confectioners’ sugar and lemon, lime, or orange wedges.