Jamie's Favorite Cheesy Shrimp and Grits

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Being a girl raised in the south, despite both parents being transplants, grits were a staple in my breakfast repertoire.  I can remember when I was first introduced to the concept of grits for dinner.  Despite my skepticism, I gave shrimp and grits a try at Fishbones restaurant in Greensboro, NC.  Not only was it love at first bite, I also perfected the way of ordering the dish.  David and I still frequent Fishbones to this day, but the first time we dined there together he found my ordering habits comical.  I rarely request meal modifications so it threw him off that I specified for the sauce on the side.  I quickly explained it wasn’t that I didn’t like their interpretation of shrimp and grits, I just liked thick grits like gumbo instead of them being more soupy.  This was all the challenge David needed to master “Jamie’s Favorite Shrimp and Grits.”  Let’s just say, his is my new #1.  

SHOPPING LIST:

1C Stone Mill Grits

4C Water

1/4C Parmesan Reggiano

1/4C Cheddar or Monterey Jack

1LB Shrimp ( 10/15 preferred ) 

1 Shallot finely chopped ( Sub onion if your out of shallots )

3 Garlic cloves

2 Carrots

2 Ribs of Celery 

1 Jalapeno 

1/2 Green Pepper

1 Bunch Cilantro 

1T Cumin

1T Paprika

1t Dried Mustard

1/4t Cayenne 

1/2t Coriander

 1/2t  Red Pepper Flakes

1 Bottle of light beer

1 Lime

3T EVOO

Part One: The Cheesy Grits

Do not use instant grits for this recipe!  The cooking gods will strike you down preventing you from ever cooking again.  Now that we have that out of the way, please go buy good quality stone ground grits.  If you live in Greensboro, Bestway sells Guilford Mill grits.  That is what we normally stock at the house.  Bring 4C of water and 1C of grits to a light boil while stirring frequently so they will not stick.  Then cover and turn the heat to low for 20-30 minutes, until thick.  Add 1/4C Parmesan Reggiano, 1/4C Cheddar or Monterey Jack and mix.  Then season with S&P to taste. The Parmesan is salty so be careful on the salt.  Remember, more can be added later.  Begin the grits before you start cooking the veggie and shrimp mixture to look like a pro with your timing. 

Quick tip!  Start the night before if your week allows you to plan ahead.  Before you go to sleep add 4C of water to 1C of grits.  Cover and leave overnight until you are ready to use the next day and it will speed up the process.  

Part Two: The Shrimp and Veggies

To prep, you will need to finely chop one shallot ( you can sub a sweet onion like we did this go around ), mince three garlic cloves, peel and chop two carrots and two ribs of celery into ¼” pieces, dice 1/2 green pepper, dice one jalapeno, chop 2T of cilantro and juice one lime. Set these aside. In a small mixing bowl, mix 1T cumin, 1T paprika, 1/4t cayenne, 1/2t red pepper flakes, 1t dried mustard and 1/2t coriander.  Open two bottles of light beer, start to drink one and reserve the other for cooking.  

Next, shell and devein 1lb of shrimp. If you are new to this start slow.  To devein, you will need a pairing knife or small sharp knife.  Run the knife roughly 1/8” through the “backbone” of the shrimp.  Once this is done pull the small string of doo-doo out.  You don’t have to do this but the shrimp may taste a little gritty.  

Quick Tip! If you need to thaw your shrimp, put them in a large bowl and fill with cold water, not warm.  Change out the water every fifteen minutes for about an hour.

In a medium sized pot add 3T of EVOO or grapeseed oil.  Heat on medium-high.  Once it starts to shimmer, add the prepped shallot, garlic, carrots, celery, jalapeno and 1t of salt. Cook until it starts to soften, 4-5 minutes. Next add the spice mixture. Mix often for two-three minutes. Make sure to keep this moving to prevent the spices from scorching. By this time you should be finished with your cold (drinking) beer, so add the reserve beer to the pot and turn the heat to high.  Cook for another five minutes.  Add the cilantro, limejuice, and shrimp to the mixture and turn to medium-low.  Cover for five minutes longer. Once time is up, take off the heat.

Now for the fun part! Add cheesy grits to a deep bowl and ladle as much as you want of the veggie and shrimp mixture over the grits.  Garnish with additional cilantro,  Parmigiano and season with S&P.  Enjoy!  I love to pair this dinner with a good IPA. 

 

CHEERS!

The Start! Orange Beef Stir-Fry

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We are very excited to finally start our cooking blog.  David is my husband and the real star of this production.  I benefit from his love of cooking daily and now so can you!

Opposites seem to always attract in the most delightful ways.  In elementary science class you learn that positive charged protons and negative charged electrons jump from clouds through the air to create the spectacular lightning during storms.  What does an electrical storm have to do with cooking you ask?  It is really quite simple.  Pairing opposite sweet and savory flavors in a meal can create the same shock and surprise to your senses.      

Orange Beef Stir-fry is a perfect example of how to balance sweet with savory.  This is one of those dishes that will make you want to try to get as many elements and flavors in every bite, resulting in one full fork!    

David will take over from here:

You will need to cut your steak into 1/2" strips against the grain.  DO NOT go with the grain or you will have a chewy mess.  Next peel your orange and cut into sections.  We like to add the zest whenever using oranges, limes and lemons.  It adds intense flavor to the dish.  Throw 1 cup of soy sauce, 1T minced ginger, 1 garlic clove minced, 1T of rice wine vinegar, orange zest and orange into a large zip lock bag or air tight container ( We added red pepper flakes to add some heat ).  Let this marinate in the fridge for six to eight hours for best results.  If you are in a rush, like we always are, one hour will do. 

 

Now let’s get the rice started.  For this particular recipe we used sushi rice (short grain). Begin with 1 cup of rice and rinse until the water runs clear.  Combine the rice and 1 ¼ cups of water to a two or four quart pot.  Cover and bring water to a boil.  Immediately turn to simmer after and keep covered.  Set your timer for 20 minutes and get ready for the real cooking.

Note: Jasmine, brown and basmati rice will work just as well. We have used red quinoa for a healthier alternative too.  It adds a nutty taste to the meal.

Another quick tip!  A friend taught me a secret when cooking rice and it has never failed me.  First, wash your rice until the water runs clear. Next add however much rice you are cooking and begin to add water.  Here’s the trick: Using your index finger, touch the top of the rice. You want your water level to hit your first knuckle. Set your timer to 20 minutes and you can sit back and drink a brew!

Now you’ll begin the main dish.  Cut the broccoli bunch into 1-1.5” pieces along with the green onions.  Have your ginger minced and ready for action.  Grab your favorite 12” skillet and turn your burner to medium-high.  Add 1T of grape seed oil (or EVOO), 1T of minced ginger, and 1 minced garlic clove.  Sauté these ingredients for 30 seconds and then add the broccoli and half of the green onions. Stir often until they begin to soften.  This could take about 4-5 minutes.  While this is cooking pull the steak from the fridge. (You can do this while you are prepping the rice, but some people are funny about leaving meat out).  Place the steak in pan with the veggies and reserve marinade including the oranges.  Cook the steak for 2-3 minutes and then add the rest of the marinade to pan.  Cook for 2-3 minutes longer until steak is cooked medium rare.  Pull off heat and prep you bowls or plates. 

At this time your rice should be perfect.  Add a scoop to your plate or bowl and top with the orange beef.  Then garnish with the remaining green onions.  We added black sesame seeds to ours for a little crunch.  Try to grab a little bit of everything on each forkful and enjoy the sweet, salty, Asian heaven in your mouth.  A few drops of Srirachi sauce is killer too!

Index :

t – Teaspoon

T – Tablesoon

S&P – Salt and Pepper

EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil

C - Cup