Smoky Creamed Shrimp And Grits Recipes

Steps:

• Bring 4 cups of the shrimp stock and 2 teaspoons of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Slowly whisk in the grits and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until the grits are soft and have lost their gritty texture, whisking every few minutes, 25 to 35 minutes. If the mixture becomes too thick, add the remaining stock and continue cooking until absorbed. Add the cheese and heavy cream and whisk until smooth; season with salt and pepper.
• Divide the grits among 4 bowls and top with the sauteed shrimp. Drizzle with some of the garlic oil and bacon (reserved from the sauteed shrimp) and sprinkle with some of the scallions.
• In a large saucepan, heat the oil over high heat until almost smoking. Add the shrimp shells, heads and tails, onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add 10 cups of cold water, the tomatoes, chipotle, bay leaf, parsley and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, skimming the surface occasionally, for 40 minutes.
• Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into a large bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible, then discard the solids. The stock can be made 2 days in advance, tightly covered and refrigerated or frozen for up to 3 months.
• Place bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat and cook until golden brown and crisp and the fat has rendered, about 8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Remove all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the skillet and place back on the heat. Increase the heat to high. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, add to the skillet in a single layer, in batches, if needed, with the garlic and thyme, and cook, flipping once, until the shrimp are lightly golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove shrimp to a plate. Add the bacon to the garlic oil left in the skillet and reserve to drizzle over the finished dish.

Steps:

• In a 3-quart saucepan, heat water, salt and creamed corn to a boil.
• With a wire whisk, gradually beat in grits. Return to a boil, beating constantly.
• Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5-7 min, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
• Remove from heat and stir in cream cheese until well combined. Cover and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, in a 10-inch skillet, melt butter over medium high heat.
• Add garlic; cook and stir about 2 minute or until lightly browned.
• Add shrimp; cook and stir 4-6 min or just until shrimp are pink.
• Stir in seafood seasoning, chipotle chiles and tomatoes.
• Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered 2-3 min or until tomatoes are thoroughly heated.
• Divide grits mixture evenly among individual large soup bowls and spoon shrimp mixture evenly over top.

Steps:

• For the tomato confit: Preheat the oven to 220 degrees F. Combine the grape tomatoes, green tomato, red onion, garlic, bacon fat, olive oil, thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, sage and a pinch each of salt, pepper and sugar in a small casserole dish. Cover the casserole with foil and place it in the center oven rack. Let cook for at least 2 hours. Carefully remove the foil and inspect the confit: The grape tomatoes should be wilted, but not popped, and the red onions should be nice and brightly translucent. Discard the herb sprigs and bay leaves and keep the confit covered near the stove until ready to plate.
• For the shrimp: Heat an 11-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and keep dry. Warm the butter in the pan. In batches, sear the shrimp on both sides for 2 minutes in butter. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and keep warm. Reserve the pan and drippings for the spinach.
• For the grits: Combine the cream, chicken broth, corn stock, butter, thyme and garlic in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until boiling. Season the liquid lightly with salt. Slowly stir the grits into the liquid. Once all the grits are incorporated, turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring every minute or so, until cooked, about 10 minutes. You will know the grits are done when there's still a little texture, but the grains don't stick to your teeth. Finish with some cracked black pepper and cover until plating. If the grits become thick after standing, adding warm chicken stock will help to thin them.
• For the shrimp creamed spinach: Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 2 cups of the reserved shrimp shells and sear until the shells are bright and release a nice shellfish aroma, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Vidalia onion, bay leaf and 1 tablespoon of the garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Reduce the heat, add the cream and simmer until thickened and reduced slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Strain through a mesh strainer and reserve.
• Bring a medium pot half full of salted water to a boil. In the meantime, place a large bowl of ice water nearby. When the water is boiling, add the spinach and blanch for about 30 seconds. Use tongs and carefully remove the spinach to the ice water. Drain with a colander and set aside to let dry for a few minutes.
• In the same pan used to sear the shrimp, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook until just beginning to wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon garlic and the shrimp cream and cook until the cream thickens.
• For the bacon gastrique: Cook the bacon in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until almost crispy, about 10 minutes.
• Add the onion and garlic and sweat lightly over medium heat until translucent. Add the brown sugar, Marsala, sherry wine and vinegar and cook until reduced, about 15 minutes, then taste. The gastrique should be rather on the thin side--chunky and sweet with a nice acidity and dark in color. Cover and keep warm until ready to plate.
• To serve: Scoop about 1 cup grits each in the center of 4 entree bowls. Divide the cream spinach among the bowls, placing it in the middle, standing tall on the grits. Arrange 6 to 8 shrimp around the spinach in each bowl. Next, spoon the warm confit tomato on top of the cream spinach. Finish with a spoon of the smoked bacon gastrique around the edge of the bowl.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine Cajun seasoning, paprika, olive oil and pepper. Add shrimp and toss until well-combined; set aside.
• Bring medium saucepan to boil with 2 cups chicken broth and butter. While whisking, gradually add grits. Cook about 5 minutes, whisking often. Stir in cream and cheese; continue cooking and whisking until creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
• Melt butter in a large skillet. Add garlic and scallions and cook, stirring for one minute. Add shrimp and cook one-and-a-half minutes per side, until shrimp are opaque. Transfer shrimp with slotted spoon to a bowl and set aside, keeping warm.
• Stir flour and paprika into remaining butter in the skillet the shrimp was cooked inches Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and medium-brown like peanut butter in color, 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in combined wine, chicken stock and cream; let cook, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisk in Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce and remove from the heat. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
• To serve, divide grits evenly among six plates. Stir shrimp into sauce and ladle over grits, sprinkling with scallions.