Shrimp and Grits

Shrimp and Grits is one of my favorite dishes when we visit down South. Since travelling isn't really in the cards these days, I thought we could take a culinary trip right from my kitchen in Jersey.

I researched this dish from a few sources as it has so much history. I liked Bobby Deen's tip to use Canadian bacon in lieu of regular bacon since it is a leaner cut of pork. 

I like to season my shrimp with Old Bay for extra flavor. Top with fresh chopped scallions for a bit of brightness before serving. 

Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

Makes 4 servings

Shrimp:

1 lb. cleaned, peeled and deveined shrimp

1 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning

1 Tbsp. olive oil

3 Canadian bacon slices, diced

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup seafood stock

1/4 cup 1/2 and 1/2

Salt and pepper to taste

Green tops of 3 scallions, chopped

In a large bowl, toss shrimp with Old Bay seasoning.

In a large pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil and diced Canadian bacon. Brown for a few minutes. Be careful because the bacon can pop and spatter.  Carefully remove to a small plate and set aside.

In the same pan, add bell pepper and onion. Cook for 5-8 minutes to soften vegetables. Add garlic. Cook another minute. Add stock, wine and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for five minutes. Add 1/2 and 1/2. Stir until combined. 

Gently place seasoned shrimp into simmering broth. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes. Shrimp should be pink and opaque. Return Canadian bacon back to pan. Stir. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.

To serve: Spoon a mound of grits (recipe below) onto a dinner plate. Top with a scoop or two of shrimp and broth. Garnish with chopped scallions. 

Cheesy Grits

Makes 4 servings

1 cup Quaker Quick 5-minute Grits

4 cups water

Salt

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2 Tbsp. butter

In a medium pot with a lid, bring water to a boil. Add salt. Slowly add grits stirring while pouring them in to the boiling water. I like to stir with a whisk, but a wooden spoon works just fine. Cover with the lid. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Stir occasionally during the cooking period. If a thicker consistency is desired, cook a few minutes more uncovered and continue to stir. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese and garlic powder. Once incorporated, stir in butter. Add a pinch of salt, if desired. 

Corn Chowder

It's a good day when a new cookbook arrives at my door, and every recipe is jumping off the page shouting, "Cook me. I rock."

OK. So maybe my imagination IS getting the best of me. And yes, a person really does exist in 2014 who knowingly and willing reads books like with paper. Even cookbooks. I also just updated my I.O.S. last week solely because the Jersey Girl headed to Bermuda with my home girls crew and wanted to make sure I could facetime my 3-year-old boyfriend. Electronics. I just don't care.

Sidenote: Bermuda was fab. Highly recommend.

Anywho, Bobby Deen of Cooking Channel fame and the offspring of the notorious Paula Deen put out a cookbook that's all about the yum yums of the south but with waaaaaaaaaaay less calories and fat and all that. I seriously want to cook up every single jammy jam in "From Mama's Table to Mine." The cover claims all the recipes make servings that clock in at 350 calories or less.

Now, I'm not one to keep track of numbers when eating my eats, but I do know based on my very small first-hand experience that when I kicked it down south for a week's vacay last year I felt like a super big fat ass upon return to Jersey. But dang, the cuisine of the dirty south is tasty. So, thank you, Bobby Deen for your hunka hunka of burnin southern lovin' cookbook. I'm so glad I got it. And I do dig your mama, too. Political correctness be DAMNED.

So you're probably all like, well come on, Jersey Girl. What did you cook up? Totally must be a Southern classic such as shrimp and grits or collared greens or fried chicken. No, no and no. Try again: Corn chowder, kids. A really fab corn chowder.

What the what?

Well, the corn was calling to me from the produce aisle. And with July right around the corner the Jersey corn will be at its peak in no time. So, you'll want this one in your arsenal especially for those cool summer nights down the shore.

You can totally use frozen corn in a pinch. And the other veggie ingredients are staples in my kitchen and cupboard: Carrots, celery, garlic, onion and potato. Pretty standard fare, no?

There is no cream in this recipe, but there is a bit of milk. I topped mine with some cheddar cheese because that's just how I do.

My little man tasted the soup. In fact, he ate about three or four spoonfuls. It's a start. I think he'll be asking for seconds by the time September rolls around. Just a hunch.

According to the cookbook, the Deen fam came up with this recipe to get a toddler type to eat his veggies. Fortunately, my toddler monster likes to get his veg on. But for all you mommas out there feeling so over the pizza, hotdog and chicken finger rotation, bust out your soup pot!

Jack's Corn Chowder
From "From Mama's Table to Mine"
By Bobby Deen
Makes 6 cups/Serves 6

1 Tbsp. low-calorie butter substitute spread
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 small potato, peeled and cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups whole milk
Pinch of nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
White pepper to taste

In a medium pot, melt the butter substitute over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the corn and chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove 1 cup of the soup and puree in a blender or food processor; return the pureed soup to the pot.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold salted water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Drain and place in a blender or food processor. Add the milk and puree until smooth.

Add the potato mixture to the soup and season with nutmeg and pepper.

Please note: The Jersey Girl used unsalted butter instead of butter substitute and she used black pepper instead of white pepper.