Creamy Shrimp & Grits...

To a Southerner, eating grits is practically a religion. And breakfast without grits is unthinkable in some households. A true grit lover would not consider instant or quick-cooking grits; only long-cooking stone-ground grits are worth eating. But I confess, I do in a pinch use instant grits.

Outside of the southern states I have found the reaction to grits is mixed. Most have never had them or if they have; they were tasteless pools of soupy mush.

Grits are served as a side dish for breakfast or dinner and are traditionally eaten with lots of melted butter. Three-quarters of the grits sold in the United States are from a group of coastal states stretching from Louisiana to the Carolinas, known as the "Grits Belt."

In the Low Country of South Carolina and particularly Charleston, shrimp and grits has been considered a basic breakfast for coastal fishermen and families for decades. Simply called 'breakfast shrimp," the dish consisted of a pot of grits with shrimp cooked in a little bacon grease or butter. During the past decade, this dish has been dressed up and taken out on the town to the fanciest restaurants. Not just for breakfast anymore, it is also served for brunch, lunch, and dinner.

Here is my favorite recipe and last night I enjoyed a large bowl; which not only tasted great, but it chased away the cold damp winter weather we have been having here in the Southeast.



Creamy Shrimp & Grits

Ingredients:
1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined*
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups water
1½ cups hot stock (shrimp, chicken, or vegetable)
¼ cup butter
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup stone-ground grits**
¾ cup grated cheddar
¼ cup parmesan
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Salt and black pepper to taste
6 bacon slices
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
6 button mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 green onion, sliced for garnish

* To add flavor, place the shells of the shrimp in a saucepan and cover with water. Simmer over low heat approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain the broth, discarding shells. Add shrimp broth to hot stock.

** If using quick-cooking grits (not instant), reduce cream to ½ cup and reduce stock to 1 cup.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine cream, water, and hot stock; bring to a gentle boil. Add butter salt, and pepper. Slowly add grits, stirring constantly ~ so that the grits do not settle to the bottom and scorch, until all are added; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally ~ be careful not to scorch mixture, or until the grits are tender. Whisk in cheddar, parmesan, and 1 tablespoon butter and season with salt; cover and set aside.

NOTE: The grits should have absorbed all of the liquid and become soft and should have the same consistency as oatmeal ~ moist, not dry. If the grits become too thick, add warm stock or water to thin. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle shrimp with lemon juice, salt, and pepper; set aside. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, cook bacon until brown but not crisp. Remove from heat and pat dry with paper towels; set aside.

Coarsely chop bacon when cool. Reserve 4 tablespoons bacon grease in the frying pan. Add onion, garlic, and sliced mushrooms; sauté 10 minutes or until the onion is transparent. Add shrimp mixture and bacon; sauté 5 to 7 minutes or until shrimp are opaque in center. Remove from heat.

To serve, spoon hot grits onto individual serving plates and top with shrimp mixture. Garnish with sliced green onion.

Serves 4

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George’s notes:

• In 1976, South Carolina declared grits the official state food: “Whereas, throughout its history, the South has relished its grits, making them a symbol of its diet, its customs, its humor, and its hospitality, and whereas, every community in the State of south Carolina used to be the site of a grist mill and every local economy in the State used to be dependent on its product; and whereas, grits has been a part of the life of every South Carolinian of whatever race, background, gender, and income; and whereas, grits could very well play a vital role in the future of not only this State, but also the world.”
• The Charleston News and Courier proclaimed in 1952: "An inexpensive, simple, and thoroughly digestible food, [grits] should be made popular throughout the world. given enough of it, the inhabitants of planet Earth would have nothing to fight about. A man full of [grits] is a man of peace."