shrimp and grits

A friend of mine requested a recipe for shrimp and grits…

I sent him this:

You’ll need:

1 pound of U-10 shrimp

“Quaker” Quick Grits grits

chives
parsley
shallot
small cream cheese (4 oz)
good parmesan cheese (shredded)
butter
baking powder
buttermilk
small bag of frozen corn niblets
small ham steak (optional)
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
white wine

One day ahead, make your biscuit dough and refrigerate overnight. Roll them out the morning of and bake fresh.
Also, dice your ham, chop your chives, chop your parsley.

Biscuit Dough:
1 stick of COLD butter
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs baking powder
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup shredded cheddar (optional)
2-4 Tbs melted butter

In a bowl, combine all of your dry ingredients. Working quickly shave your butter on the large holes of a box cheese grater into your flour mix. working with your hands mix the flour into the butter so it resembles coarse meal. Add in the butter milk and cheese (optional) and work in with your hands (if your dough is too wet, add a little more flour) (if you want you can add some of your chopped herbs too 1-2 tsp) mix until incorporated and fold out on the counter and knead a bit until slightly smooth. Roll out into a rectangle and fold into thirds like a “business letter” then fold that in half. Flatten slightly, put on a tray cover with saran wrap and refrigerate. (you should still be able to see chunky bits of butter in the dough)

set oven to 375 degrees, roll out dough to about 1/2 inch thickness and cut with round cutters or cut carefully into rectangles and place on baking sheet and brush with melted butter (top with a bit of sprinkled sugar if you like) Bake about 13-15 minutes depending on your oven.

For the Grits:
cook 1/2 cup of grits in 2 cups of water according to package directions (with salt) (use a bit less water by 2 TBS)

when the grits are ready, stir in cream cheese, 1/4 to 1/2 cup of parmesan (to your taste), corn, 1/4 cup of the diced ham (optional) 1 tsp chives and 1 tsp parsley.
Salt and pepper to your taste.

For the Shrimp:
Peel and devein leaving the tails in tact
Chop shallot
heat a medium skillet and add a bit of olive oil, the shallots and 1/4 cup of dice ham. let it cook until the shallots ate translucent. Add the shrimp and let cook until they turn pink on the outside and still a bit pale in the center. Season with salt, red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper (easy). add some white wine and let it cook down by 1/2. then lower the heat and add 2-3 TBS of cold butter (cubed) and stir constantly until the butter is “absorbed” by the wine liquid.
add your fresh herbs.

Spoon Grits in a large pasta bowl and top with the shrimp mixture. garnish with herbs and a biscuit.
Enjoy!!!!