Spicy Shrimp And Grits With Tomato And Country Ham Recipes

SPICY SHRIMP AND GRITS WITH TOMATO AND COUNTRY HAM

Steps:

• For the grits:.
• Rinse the grits in a large bowl of water. With your hand, scoop out any bran or hulls floating on top of the water. Drain well.
• Combine the water, salt and butter in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the grits and stir. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 28 to 40 minutes (check instruction on the bag of grits), stirring occasionally. If the grits stick to the bottom of the pan, reduce the heat and stir more frequently.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Keep warm.
• For the shrimp:.
• While the grits are cooking, peel and devein the shrimp. If desired, swish the shrimp in a bowl of cool, salted water to remove any impurities. Repeat. Finish with a cool water rinse, drain and set aside.
• When the grits are ready, prepare the topping. In a large skillet, sauté the shrimp in a tablespoon of butter over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Remove and set aside.
• In the same skillet, sauté the country ham and sausage for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the sausage is cooked through.
• Add the garlic and cayenne, if using, and sauté 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and green onions and sauté 30 seconds.
• Return the shrimp to the skillet, add water or chicken broth and simmer briefly. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter.
• To serve, spoon four equal portions of the grits into four bowls. Place 5 or 6 shrimp on top of each portion of grits and spoon on equal parts of the topping, including some of the liquid. Serve at once.

SPICY SHRIMP AND GRITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x12 inch baking dish.
• Bring chicken broth and salt to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Stir in the grits, return to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Meanwhile, melt the margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the green onions, green pepper, and garlic; cook until the peppers have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the shrimp, and cook until they begin to firm.
• Stir the Monterey Jack cheese, 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese, shrimp and vegetable mixture, canned tomatoes, and black pepper into the grits; pour into prepared baking dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown, 30 to 45 minutes.

LOW COUNTRY SHRIMP AND GRITS WITH STEWED TOMATOES

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water, the milk, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste for the grits to a gentle boil. Whisk in the grits. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is smooth and thick and falls easily from the spoon, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Towards the end of the cooking time for the grits, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice and the bay leaves. Season with cayenne pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture is slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Increase the heat under the tomatoes to medium high and add the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are pink and firm, an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the parsley. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. When the grits have thickened, stir in the cheese and butter. To serve, place a heaping spoonful of grits on each plate. Top with the shrimp and tomato gravy. Garnish with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.