Shrimp and Grits

This is one recipe that I looked forward to making.  Not because I felt like this is a fancy dish to try, or not because I felt like it’d impress anyone.  I wanted to make this for me.  I’ve only had it a few times, but every time I do I just love it.  Therefore, I thought it’d be a perfect recipe to try to re-create.  I found this through a friend’s blog who made this for her husband for their anniversary.  She had rave reviews on it, so I knew it’d be a perfect one to try.  I’m always looking for recipes that others have tested.  That way I at least know that someone out there has liked it before.  Matter of fact, that’s one of my biggest tips: Always read the reviews.  Most recipe index websites all have reviews, and they sometimes give the best tips, so read 'em they can help you out!

This recipe taught me a lot about myself.  I learned that I can’t cook without some sort of disaster.  It always happens, but I’ve learned that that’s OK.  As long as there’s an edible outcome it’s all good!  This time (as always) I didn’t do my prep work, so as I was hurriedly trying to chop my vegetables and sausage, I cut my thumb.  <Blood may have been the secret ingredient.  OK, all jokes aside,  I took a break to clean everything up! > Then, my milk mixture boiled over because I left it unattended.  Now you know, milk boils over and sharp knives go through flesh like butter.

Let’s get on with it. Here's the original recipe.

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp olive oil (I used canola because that's what I have)

1 whole red bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped (I omitted)

1-2 garlic cloves, minced (I used 1 tsp of pre-minced garlic)

6 oz sausage, sliced

½ c dry white wine

1/3 c all-purpose flour

2 ¼ c chicken broth

½ c heavy whipping cream

2 bay leaves (I used one)

1-1 ½ tsp Creole seasoning (I probably used more about 2)

3 lbs shrimp (I used 1 frozen bag)

2 Tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley (I used about a tsp of dried)

Step 1:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add bell pepper, onion, and garlic, and sauté 2 minutes to soften.  Add sausage, and cook 6 to 7 minutes or until browned, stirring often. Add wine, and cook until almost all liquid has evaporated.  This took about 7 minutes

Step 2:

Sprinkle flour over mixture in skillet, and cook about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. (Flour will start to brown.) Gradually whisk in chicken broth and cream; add bay leaves and Creole seasoning.

Step 3:

Bring mixture to a simmer, and cook, uncovered until thick, stirring often.  At this point, I just left  it simmering until I was about ready to serve.

Step 4:

Add shrimp to sauce, and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink, stirring often.  This won’t take long!  Take out your bay leaf and serve over grits.

Cheese Grits

Right around Step 3, I made my grits, which in this case was polenta, which is basically yellow grits.  The kind I bought were quick cooking so they only took about 5 minutes.  This is how I made mine, but most any cheese grits recipe will work just be sure to follow that package’s liquid to grits ratio.

2 c milk

2 c water 2 c chicken stock

2 c grits

2 c Swiss cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Tbsp butter

Bring water/milk/stock mixture to a simmer, add S &P, and butter.  Then, whisk in grits. Next, whisk in cheese. Continue stirring for about 5 minutes; keep warm.

This recipe may not be streets of NOLA worthy, but it’s pretty good for an Alabama week night!

Enjoy!
Kirby