Summer Shrimp

Shrimp and grits is distinctly Southern. It is a dish of lowcountry origins, associated with the Carolinas, but has spread far and wide across the Southeast. In the past couple of months, I have experimented with several S&G recipes, all completely different. I experimented with pancetta and proscuitto, two common Italian ingredients, and arrived at bacon, specifically, Conecuh bacon.* Proscuitto didn't deliver the smoky flavor I wanted, and pancetta simply wasn't as good as bacon. I tried yellow grits but preferred the white. White grits keep the integrity of the dish, rather than transform it into shrimp & polenta.


*Conecuh bacon (named after the Alabama County in which it's produced) is by far the best bacon I've ever tasted. It is perfectly marbled with fat, and crisps up beautifully.


Best Shrimp and Grits
Serves 6

Grits
4 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 stick butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup grits
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (optional)

Shrimp
1/2 stick butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
6 slices of uncooked bacon, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup green onions, chopped (green and white parts)

Bring chicken stock, whipping cream, butter and garlic to boil in heavy large saucepan. Gradually whisk in grits. Return to boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered until grits thicken, whisking often, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt 1/4 cup butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add yellow pepper and bacon and saute until bacon is fully cooked and browned. Add drained diced tomatoes. Add shrimp and white wine to skillet and saute until shrimp are just cooked, pink and curled. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To simmering grits, add cheddar and optional goat cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Spoon grits into shallow bowls. Top each serving with shrimp mixture, dividing equally. Garnish with basil and green onions and serve immediately.

Shrimpish

I love shrimp. There isn't a single summer ingredient that conjures more visions of perfect, beachy days than tender, ocean-salted shrimp. I like them pretty minimally prepared. Boiled in Old Bay and doused with a squeeze of lemon is good enough for me. When I ventured to our Chevron shrimp hut (that's not actually the name of the establishment, it's just adjacent to a gas station), I was overjoyed to discover they carried head-on shrimp, for only $5.99 a pound. I know, I know, shrimp heads aren't much to look at, and a bit unappetizing to eat, googly eyes, antennae and all; however, if you've ever had BBQ shrimp in New Orleans, you know what I'm getting at. Baked in an amazing sauce of staggering amounts of butter, along with lemon, herbs, spices, and other delicious things, these shrimp make you "want to slap yo mamma." Don't ask me why, it's just a saying.
Getting back on track, I bought two pounds of head-on shrimp for what seemed like pennies, and got to work trying to recreate this Big Easy masterpiece. First I sauteed some onion and garlic in a lot of butter. I mean, a lot. I actually found a recipe for BBQ Shrimp and felt compelled to cut the butter in half to avoid having a heart attack at 26. Read on.

Pretty Darn Good BBQ Shrimp

1 stick butter
1/2 cup olive oil
2 lbs raw unpeeled shrimp, heads on
1/4 cup chopped basil
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
black pepper
salt
lots of crusty French bread

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease large baking dish. Melt butter and olive oil in large skillet. Add all ingredients except for shrimp and bread. Bring sauce to light boil. Put shrimp in baking dish and pour sauce over. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until shrimp are pink and curled. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Watch carefully, pick a shrimp and cut open to make sure it is not translucent. Serve in individual bowls with lots of bread to soak up the flavorful sauce.