Shrimp & Grits

Whenever I make it back to the South, I try to fit in a meal of shrimp and grits (either at Hyman's Seafood in Charleston or The Blue Marlin in Columbia, SC.) Grits (ground hominy) are typically a breakfast food, but combined with shrimp, sausage, and gravy, they make the starchy base of a filling, sumptuous dinner. The texture of the shrimp combined with the smokiness of kielbasa, a touch of spice, the slight tang of vinegar, and unctuous cream-thickened grits is an unbeatable ensemble.

Finding grits in the UK is a feat although possible. I usually bring back a 5lb bag of quick grits--better than instant and less time-consuming that regular stone-ground grits. I got the notion to keep up the Southern cooking trend this evening and try to recreate the experience. It didn't take as much time as I thought it would. It can be easily divided into three parts: sauce, shrimp and sausage, and grits.

Ingredients:

The sauce:

• 3 Tbsp. green hot pepper sauce (I used a combination of Jamaican hot sauce and mild Tabasco with a dash of onion relish for the vinegar and sweetness)
• 3 Tbsp. dry white wine
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tsp. rice vinegar
• 1/2 c. whipping cream

The shrimp and sausage:

• 1/8 c. olive oil
• 8 oz. Polish kielbasa, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1/4 c. onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 250g shrimp (king prawns will suffice)
• 3 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp. Jamaican spice mix (or Old Bay or equivalent)
• a dash of cayenne pepper

The grits:

• 1 c. quick grits (if you use other kinds, you'll need to change the liquid ratio)
• 1 1/2 c. water
• 1 c. whole milk
• 1/2 c. single cream
• a pat of butter

Method:

1. Combine the pepper sauce, wine, shallot, lemon juice and vinegar and boil in a saucepan over medium heat until reduced (around 8-10 minutes.) Stir in the cream. Then place this to the side.
2. For the shrimp/sausage combo, eat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, bell pepper, onion, and sausage and sauté until the veggies are tender. Then add in the shrimp, spices, and tomatoes and cook until the shrimp are done. Season with salt and pepper. (This whole step takes less than 15 minutes.)
3. For the grits, bring the milk, cream, and water to a boil in a sauce pan. Whisk in the grits, turn down the heat to a simmer and stir occasionally (some make stick to the bottom of the pot). Quick grits will take about 5 minutes. Check the consistency and stir in a bit of milk or cream if their too thick. If you've whisked in the grits properly, you should have no problems with lumps--just a smooth rich porridge. Add in your butter and the end a a few pinches of salt to taste. 
4. Plate up the grits, top them with the shrimp and sausage and then drizzle on some of your spicy cream sauce. Serve hot, immediately. 

Gambas al Ajillo

An excursion to Di Bruno Bros. awakened a latent passion for this Spanish classic. For many years gambas al ajillo had been a personal favourite of mine at Dali Restaurant and Tapas Bar in Somerville, Massachusetts. The dish was such a delight that I never forwent ordering it--despite the effects of consuming large quantities of garlic--simply for social niceties. But now, left to our own devices many miles from Boston, we were guided in our 'at-home' version by the fine folks at Cooks Illustrated. Here's how we did it:

Ingredients:
14 cloves of garlic (2 minced, 4 sliced, and 8 sliced)
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and vein removed
6 Tbsp and 2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 bay leaf
3-5 crushed red chillies (and 1-3 whole for garnish)
1 tsp sherry vinegar or 2 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp fresh parsley

1. Place the 1 lb of shrimp, kosher salt, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and 2 cloves of minced garlic in a bowl. Toss and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
   
   
2. Gently cook 4 cloves of sliced garlic in 6 Tbsp of olive oil in a 12" skillet on medium low. When the slices are a light golden colour, remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon. This will infuse the oil with a sweet garlic flavour. Place the pan aside until the shrimp have finished marinating.
   
   
3. Slice the remaining 8 cloves of garlic and put them into the skillet on low heat with a bay leaf and the red chillies until the slices are tender, not brown. Increase the heat to medium low and add the shrimp. Cook until the oil bubbles gently (about 2 minutes) and then flip the shrimp over and cook for another 2 minutes. Then turn the heat up to high. Add the vinegar or lemon juice and the fresh parsley. Cook until boiling vigorously (15–20 seconds). Serve immediately.

*Do note that long after the shrimp are gone, the remaining oil and golden pieces of garlic are simply divine on a fresh piece of bread--have some on hand.