Shrimp and Grits (with Creamy White Cheddar Grits)
This is a truly GREAT Shrimp and Grits recipe.
Andouille sausage and smoked bacon provide a rich flavor backdrop for the fresh shrimp and white wine sauce. The creamy white cheddar grits are a decadent base for the dish. It's also the perfect opportunity to practice mise-en-place, or "putting in place." This is where you prepare your ingredients and equipment -- including measuring and chopping -- before you begin the actual cooking process. In this particular recipe, it's a lifesaver to have everything sitting by your skillet ready to go. I recommend starting with an empty dishwasher so that as you use each ingredient you've prepared, you can just toss its prep bowl in. You'll have next to no cleanup at the end.
By the way, in the trial of this recipe -- the one photographed below -- I didn't use any bell peppers. The recipe below is the perfected version, though, and so yours will end up even more colorful and tasty than the one in the photo.
Shrimp and Grits (with Creamy White Cheddar Grits)
Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
1/2 cup stone-ground grits
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, rinsed, and patted dry
1/2 pound Andouille sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch slices
3 slices smoked bacon, chopped into small pieces
1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts
1 teaspoon finely diced jalapeño, seeded
1 finely diced poblano pepper, seeded
1/3 cup finely chopped bell peppers (I used a pre-chopped tricolor mix)
1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup white wine
Directions:
Get all of your ingredients washed, chopped, measured, and ready. No seriously, do it. Have all the ingredients lined up in prep bowls on your counter. As you use each one, toss the bowl in the dishwasher.
In a medium saucepan, boil 2 cups of milk and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in the grits with a whisk. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until all the milk is absorbed (see the directions on your package for how long this should take. Mine took 15 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, heavy cream, and white cheddar. Season to taste with pepper (and salt if more is needed; I didn't need to add any. Don't forget that the bacon will be salty). Cover these and set aside until you're ready to serve.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the Andouille sausage until browned and remove it to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Brown the bacon pieces and drain them on a separate space on the paper-towel lined plate. Reduce the heat to medium. In the meat drippings, cook the shrimp until pink, about 3 minutes, tossing occasionally. Remove them to the sausage plate to drain. Discard all but about 2 tablespoons of the meat drippings. To the skillet, add parsley, onions (reserving some of the green onions for topping), jalapeño pepper, poblano pepper, bell peppers, and garlic. Sauté for about a minute, stirring occasionally. Deglaze the pan by adding the lemon juice and white wine. Cook until the liquid reduces some but not entirely, about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and add the sausage and shrimp back into the skillet, tossing to coat.
Spoon grits into 2 bowls and top with the shrimp mixture. Top with green onions and bacon pieces. Serve immediately.
To read about my trip to the farm to buy the meat for this recipe, read my musings about locks, and see more photos, please head over to Willow Bird Baking!
x-posted to food_porn, picturing_food, cooking, cookingupastorm
Andouille sausage and smoked bacon provide a rich flavor backdrop for the fresh shrimp and white wine sauce. The creamy white cheddar grits are a decadent base for the dish. It's also the perfect opportunity to practice mise-en-place, or "putting in place." This is where you prepare your ingredients and equipment -- including measuring and chopping -- before you begin the actual cooking process. In this particular recipe, it's a lifesaver to have everything sitting by your skillet ready to go. I recommend starting with an empty dishwasher so that as you use each ingredient you've prepared, you can just toss its prep bowl in. You'll have next to no cleanup at the end.
By the way, in the trial of this recipe -- the one photographed below -- I didn't use any bell peppers. The recipe below is the perfected version, though, and so yours will end up even more colorful and tasty than the one in the photo.
Shrimp and Grits (with Creamy White Cheddar Grits)
Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
1/2 cup stone-ground grits
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, rinsed, and patted dry
1/2 pound Andouille sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch slices
3 slices smoked bacon, chopped into small pieces
1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts
1 teaspoon finely diced jalapeño, seeded
1 finely diced poblano pepper, seeded
1/3 cup finely chopped bell peppers (I used a pre-chopped tricolor mix)
1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup white wine
Directions:
Get all of your ingredients washed, chopped, measured, and ready. No seriously, do it. Have all the ingredients lined up in prep bowls on your counter. As you use each one, toss the bowl in the dishwasher.
In a medium saucepan, boil 2 cups of milk and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in the grits with a whisk. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until all the milk is absorbed (see the directions on your package for how long this should take. Mine took 15 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, heavy cream, and white cheddar. Season to taste with pepper (and salt if more is needed; I didn't need to add any. Don't forget that the bacon will be salty). Cover these and set aside until you're ready to serve.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the Andouille sausage until browned and remove it to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Brown the bacon pieces and drain them on a separate space on the paper-towel lined plate. Reduce the heat to medium. In the meat drippings, cook the shrimp until pink, about 3 minutes, tossing occasionally. Remove them to the sausage plate to drain. Discard all but about 2 tablespoons of the meat drippings. To the skillet, add parsley, onions (reserving some of the green onions for topping), jalapeño pepper, poblano pepper, bell peppers, and garlic. Sauté for about a minute, stirring occasionally. Deglaze the pan by adding the lemon juice and white wine. Cook until the liquid reduces some but not entirely, about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and add the sausage and shrimp back into the skillet, tossing to coat.
Spoon grits into 2 bowls and top with the shrimp mixture. Top with green onions and bacon pieces. Serve immediately.
To read about my trip to the farm to buy the meat for this recipe, read my musings about locks, and see more photos, please head over to Willow Bird Baking!
x-posted to food_porn, picturing_food, cooking, cookingupastorm