Chorizo Jalapeno Shrimp 'n Grits

Ask anyone. Any menu anywhere I go, if shrimp and grits are on the menu, it IS my order. Every time. Every. Time.

This love affair started relatively late in my life on my very first trip to Charleston, South Carolina. I'd avoided grits all of my life having heard (from northerners, mind you) that they were tasteless, wallpaper paste glopped on a breakfast plate next to eggs and ham. 

On the other hand, I'd also heard from southern friends of the glories of grits...especially shrimp 'n grits. Could those northerners who never stepped foot south of the Mason-Dixon Line be wrong about a southern staple? I intended to do some serious investigation. 

And so in the midst of a South Carolina visit with friends, we took a jaunt to Charleston and the restaurant that first opened my eyes...and titillated my tastebuds. The site of my grits revelation was the restaurant 82 Queen on, where else(?) Queen Street. (Bet you can guess the street number of the restaurant, too.) 

Four of us arrived at the famed restaurant and were seated in the most beautiful walled and wrought iron fenced cobblestone courtyard at the rear of the restaurant. Palm trees and magnolias soared above the gathering of glass-topped, white-painted wrought iron tables and butterfly-backed chairs, while twinkles of floral color peeked from every green oasis around us. We settled in to order brunch. 

Three of us ordered BBQ Shrimp and Grits, I have no clue what the 4th (my husband, a non-fish/seafood eater) ordered. It simply didn't matter when I was on a grits quest, I was focused on the quarry.  

When the object of my eventual affection was placed before me - along with a beautiful Bloody Mary (it WAS brunch, of course) - I began to suspect those Northern opinions on grits were misguided. 

Upon my first taste it was obvious those lying sons-of-the-north were jealous the South had produced such a wondrous Southern delight. Sweet, local, wild-caught shrimp and smooth, creamy, cheesy, buttery grits...simple perfection on a plate. I was hooked. From then on, whenever and wherever Shrimp and Grits are on the menu, THAT is what I order. 

There are many other Northerners who have seen the light, of course. Steve Kish, one of the owners and the original chef at 82 Queen, is from Pittsburgh! Guess there are a few Northerners who appreciate - and MAKE - some of the best grits ever! 

Here's my little twist on classic shrimp and grits:

Chorizo Jalapeno Shrimp n' Grits

2 generous servings

• 1 1/2 C chicken broth - I use a good boxed variety
• 1 1/2 C whole milk
• 2 T butter
• 1 t salt
• 3/4 C Stone Ground Yellow Grits (I order REAL grits from down South - good stone ground grits make all the difference! Where to I order them? Amazon. See my current favorite brand below. Of course you can get acceptable stone ground grits around Pittsburgh, but they ARE hard to find.)
• 1 C cheddar cheese - use a good sharp one - and yes, I shred good cheddar by hand. Don't bastardize a great from-scratch dish with pre-shredded cheese...it just won't be the same.

• 1 link Mexican chorizo - the uncooked, raw chorizo, not the smoked, dried Spanish kind
• 1 large jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, finely diced
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 9 cherry tomatoes, sliced in thirds
• 12 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on

• lime wedges
• fresh cilantro, chopped

First, start the grits: In a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the chicken broth and milk to a boil. Sloooooowly pour the grits into the boiling liquids while stirring constantly to prevent any lumps. When the grits are all stirred in, add butter and salt and lower the heat to a simmer. Stir frequently to prevent sticking, burning and/or lumps. (Caution...grits bubble and spit so be on the lookout and don't get burned!)

When the grits are silky, creamy and thick, remove from heat and stir in the cheese thoroughly. Cover the pan and set aside.

Shrimp: In a skillet over medium heat, saute the chorizo, breaking it up into small crumbles as it cooks. When it's browned completely, add the jalapeno and onion. Continue cooking until softened and then add the tomatoes. Stir until the tomatoes start to give off their juices. THEN add the shrimp, cooking until just opaque - please don't overcook your shrimp into rubber. Thank you.

Assembly: Take 2 nice flat bowls and pile those gorgeous grits into the center of each. Spoon the shrimp mixture over the top of the grits, dividing evenly. Garnish with a sprinkle of cilantro and a nice squeeze of lime. Enjoy, y'all!

Jalapeno Cheese Grits and Sunnyside Eggs

This recipe and breakfast is all YOUR fault, Mr. Blanton! You can't go telling and tantalizing folks with the wonders of your Jalapeno Cheese Grits withOUT giving us the recipe. So I went ahead and came up with my own version which, I'm sure, isn't as wondrous as your own, but still damned good...I AM being humble here.

Although I didn't use instant grits - they've never crossed my doorstep and never will - this is a relatively quick and easy recipe. The most difficult thing was stirring to make them smooth and creamy. 

I cheated and used shredded cheese, though. If you're a purist, go ahead and shred the cheese yourself if you have nothing better to do in the morning than run the simultaneous risk of shredding your knuckles. (This is especially a dangerous move if you tackle the shredding chore pre-coffee!)

The colors of green and red hot sauces and the essential Bloody Mary accompaniment tells me this dish is perfect for a casual, Southern-inspired Christmas morning. HO HO HO, y'all!

Served with the perfect side...a Bloody Mary!

  Jalapeno Cheese Grits and Sunnyside Eggs

 

• 3 tablespoons butter, plus 2 more to finish the dish
• 1/2 large jalapeno chile pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely diced
• 1 cup yellow grits, coarse ground is my fave (wish this Yankee had access to some authentically legendary Southern grits)
• 2 cups chicken broth, I like unsalted to control the saltiness...especially when using cheese in grits
• 1 cup heavy cream, or half and half
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, I used a Mexican blend cheese with cheddar, colby and hot pepper jack cheeses
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce, the GREEN variety - plus additional to garnish
• Tabasco sauce, the CHIPOTLE variety to garnish

• some pretty, sunnyside up fried eggs

Melt 3 T of the butter in the bottom of a deep saucepan - a deep one helps keep the bubbling grits from decorating your stovetop! 

Add the diced jalapeno and cook a minute or 2 to soften. Add the broth and the cream and bring to a boil. Slowly add the grits in a steady stream continuously whisking like mad. Use a long handled whisk to prevent being hit by the bubbling grits as they cook. Boil and stir for about a minute, then lower heat to medium low and continue whisking until they are thick and silky...maybe 15-20 minutes. Be patient, the stirring is worth it. Seriously.
 
Stir in the rest of the butter and incorporate completely. Add the cheese and 1 1/2 T. of the GREEN Tabasco; stir in thoroughly. Taste and add salt to taste, if needed.
 
Set the grits aside, fry up eggs - I like mine with a runny yolk to make the grits even better than they already are! Spoon the grits into a shallow bowl, set the sunnyside up eggs on top, add a few dollops of green Tabasco and a few of chipotle Tabasco and serve!
 
P.S. I'd enjoy these for dinner in a heartbeat!


NOTE: Mr. Blanton (Greg) is a kick-ass cook and BBQ genius from Georgia. And a good friend to boot.

Crispy Grits Cakes Eggs Benedict with Lemon Aioli

First on the list of plans on Sunday morning wasn’t a dinner plan, it was a brunch plan!  Last week some silky parmesan cheese grits accompanied dinner one evening…some were leftover.  Of course, that too was planned.  The leftover grits were spread into an oiled pan to about 1/4” thick, covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated until Sunday morning.  Cut into rounds and crisped in the skillet, they made a beautiful base for Eggs Benedict!

I’d intended to make a homemade hollandaise, but the morning was just too damned busy (you know how THOSE Sunday mornings are!) so I cheated.  Instead of hollandaise, I made a quick lemon aioli to drizzle over top of the eggs.  What’s hollandaise but egg yolks, butter and seasonings in an emulsification and what’s mayo but egg yolks, oil and seasonings in an emulsification?  Yeah…you see where I’m going with this.  The result?  Fantastic!

Here's the dish:

Crispy Grits Cakes Eggs Benedict with Lemon Aioli

• 2 grits cakes - cut into rounds 3-4" in diameter with a BIG biscuit or cookie cutter
• 2 slices Canadian bacon
• 2 slices tomato, good, fresh summer ones!
• 2 eggs, poached however you do yours

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard, Colemans!
• just a pinch of cayenne

Preheat a skillet, add a drizzle of vegetable oil and sizzle up the Canadian bacon and the cheese grits rounds in the same pan.  When done, place one round topped with the Canadian bacon on each serving plate.  Top each with a tomato slice and a poached egg.  Drizzle with lemon aioli and serve!
 

Aioli:  Blend well the mayo, lemon juice and dry mustard.  Warm in microwave - just take the chill off.  

Don't have a cheese grits recipe?  Here's the one I used:

Parmesan Cheese Grits

• 1 cup yellow corn grits - I used Bob's Red Mill
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 T. butter
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parm - I used the good stuff, Parmaesano Reggiano

Bring broth and cream just to a boil.  Whisk in the grits very slowly and continue whisking constantly until they're all in.  Lower the heat to medium and continue stirring occasionally until the grits are creamy and completely cooked - maybe 15-20 minutes.  Stir in butter completely, then the parm - again, completely.  

Grits will be thick!  They will pop and bubble!  Be very careful and don't get burned. Enjoy as a side with anything grilled or whatever strikes your fancy....use the leftovers to make the crispy grits cakes!