Low Country Recipe for a Cold Night

Alright I posted today, but then I cooked dinner and I'm afraid I will forget what and how I did for dinner tonight. I think it's a new favorite with my audience. We had some Low Country Food. I think it may have been bastardized and could easily be further bastardized and turned into Grillards. (GREEEEE-ARDS). Tonight it was Shrimp and Grits.

For the Shrimp

Start with 1lb of BACON. chop the bacon and put into a skillet to brown. While it's browning, chop 2 ONIONS, 1 BELL PEPPER, 1 CU. MUSHROOMS. After bacon gets a little brown, add vegetables and cook until they begin to wilt. Bacon will be sticking to bottom of the pan and bacon grease will need to be drained. Add 1 cup of RED WINE. In a pot warm 1/2 cup of olive oil with 1/4 cup of butter and some of the discarded bacon grease. Add 1 cup of FLOUR. and stir. stir. stir. stir. this roux will turn blonde and then nutty brown. Let it go just beyond nutty brown. be patient! if it burns start over. Once roux turns brown add 2 cans of BEEF BROTH. watch out for steam! Stir well and add 2 cans DICED TOMATO. (If I'm not mistaken this is pretty close to an espagnole sauce, one of the mother sauces.) To bacon mixture, add 1 cup RED WINE. Deglaze pan and add all ingredients into your sauce. Add SHRIMP. As much as you like. I added 2lbs tails off. Add 1 tsp THIME, 1 tsp DRIED BASIL, 1 tsp BLACK PEPPER, 1 tbsp KOSHER SALT, 1 tbsp SEASON T'UP. (or your favorite season-all) Allow shrimp to simmer.

In a seperate pot add 2 cups WATER, 2 cups HEAVY CREAM and bring to a boil. Add 1 cup of quick cook GRITS. Not instant!!! Stir and combine. Add 1 tsp SALT, 1 tsp SEASON T'UP (or your lesser season-all). Stir until grits get thick. After they get thick add freshly grated PARMASAN and about 1/2 cup MOZZARELLA. Stir until melted.

Mound grits in the bottom of a bowl. cover with ladles of the Shrimp Sauce.

Good heavens it was good. Even if I did cook it myself. We served it with small biscuits. Try it.