Shrimp And Grits With Creamed Spinach Tomato Confit And Smoked Bacon Gastrique Recipes

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:

• Grits: combine water, 12 oz chicken broth, 7.5 ounces of heavy whipping cream to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in grits. Stir in Kosher salt, cheeses, butter and 1/2 tabasco (to taste). If too thick, stir in a little more broth. Add salt and pepper keepin over low heat.
• Shrimp: In a large skillet over medium heat ,cook the bacon until the fat is rendered and the bacon browned. Remove the bacon and drain all but 1 tlbs of the fat. Chop bacon into bits and set aside.
• Combine flour and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Place shrimp into mixture and cover with flour. Let sit for about 5 minutes to absorb flour. This helps thicken mixture.
• In skillet with drippings, add yellow onion, bell pepper, mushroom, Saute about 3 minute Add 1/4 cup chopped scallions and garlic and saute 2 more minute.
• Turn heat to med. high. remove shrimp from flour shake off excess. Add shrimp to skillet and saute about 2 minute until shrimp lightly browned.
• Add 1/2 cup wine, using wooden spoon stir to loosen browned bits from bottom of pan. Stirring constantly slowly add 4 oz broth, 8.5 oz heavy cream, lemon juice, worcestershire sauce and tabasco. Cook about 2 minute If too thick add more broth or wine, as desired. Season with salt and pepper and spice.
• Serve: spoon grits onto four plates making a cavity in the center. Top with shrimp mixture. Garnish with bacon bits and 1 tlbs scallions. You can add lemon wedges and cajun seasoning sprinkled around plate for appearance.

Steps:

• Bring milk, 1 garlic clove, and salt to boil in medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until grits are very tender, whisking often, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook bacon in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, stirring often. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings. Add shrimp to drippings in skillet. Sauté until shrimp are pink, stirring often, about 1 minute. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper. Add shallots and remaining garlic to skillet. Sauté until shallots are translucent and shrimp are cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add clam juice to skillet and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add spinach to skillet and toss just to wilt. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce.
• Divide grits among 6 plates. Top with shrimp mixture and sprinkle with bacon. Garnish with lemon wedges for squeezing over and serve.

Steps:

• First, peel and devein the shrimp. In a small bowl, combine Cajun seasoning, paprika, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the shrimp to coat well and set the shrimp aside.
• Next, make your grits. In a medium saucepan, bring water, chicken bouillon cubes and 2 tablespoons butter to a boil. Slowly add the grits, whisking often with wire whisk for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, cream, and cheese. Keep whisking for another 2 or 3 minutes until the grits become creamy. Don't skimp on the butter and the cream, folks.
• Now saute the shrimp. In a large saute pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add in the spice-coated shrimp, and cook only until they're just done and tender. Don't overcook. Remove the shrimp from the saute pan and set them aside in a bowl. You can taste 1 or 2, to see if they're okay.
• The roux is next. With all those wonderful drippings from the shrimp in the saute pan, add 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and stir with a wooden spatula to make a roux. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until roux reaches a medium-tan color, then slowly add the chicken stock and heavy whipping cream. Whisk together and cook for 2 minutes, then whisk in Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Set aside.
• And last, a little country ham. Cook 1 center slice of cured country ham in a saute pan, and cut into cubes.
• To serve, and this is the best part-place a few heaping spoonfuls of steaming cheese grits onto a place, top with several sizzling shrimp. Drizzle that wonderful roux sauce over top of the shrimp, and sprinkle on a few cubes of country ham. Enjoy.

Steps:

• Bring chicken broth and evaporated milk to a boil in a large saucepan; stir in grits and salt and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer grits until thick, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup Cheddar cheese until melted. Set grits aside and keep warm.
• Cook and stir bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a bowl. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings from the skillet and cook and stir shrimp, green bell pepper, and onion in bacon drippings until shrimp are bright pink and no longer translucent inside and green pepper is tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir bacon into shrimp mixture.
• Spread grits into a serving dish, top with shrimp mixture, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Cheddar cheese for garnish.