Recipe Friday--Shrimp and Grits

A couple of years ago, my book club posse needed a break so we went to Heart Breaker Soul Shaker's lake house. Unlike when we go to the beach and Godson's Mom and I always end up in the beds shaped like airplanes, I slept with Precious. Neither one of us moved all night long. We weren't sure why, but we blamed it on the amount of shrimp and grits we ate the night before.

"Hey," she said to me recently. "I need that shrimp and grits recipe."
"You do not," I said. "It in the Junior League cookbook."
"Mine is packed up," she said. "And besides, I know you didn't follow the recipe."

True on both counts. Precious is in the middle of a massive renovation. She, Mr. Preicous and the two Precious dogs are living in the guest house. Also, I don't make my grits like the original recipe says. It calls for long cooking grits. I don't do that. Some say no self respecting southerner would use quick grits.

Well. I have plenty of self respect, but not an hour to cook grits. Besides my mama and my grandmama did it. They had self respect too. And I defy anyone to say I'm not southern.

Some shrimp and grits has a red barbecue sauce. It's okay, but not as good as this.

Shrimp and Grits

For the Grits:

• ½ cup of quick (not) instant grits
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1.4 cup of butter
• 1 cup (or more, to taste) sharp cheddar cheese
• A little whipping cream.

Bring the broth to a boil. Stir in grits, reduce heat, and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Add butter and cheese. Thin it out with a little cream. Add pepper to taste. It's not going to need any salt. Probably.  Keep warm.

For the Shrimp:

• 1 pound of medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 T. lemon juice
• ¼  t. salt
• 1/8 t. ground red pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 3 T. melted bacon fat
• 2 T. flour
• ¾ cup chicken broth.

Combine shrimp, lemon juice, salt, and red pepper in a small bowl. Cook onion and green pepper in drippings in a large skillet over medium high heat until soft—about 10 minutes, stirring constantly.

Sprinkle flour over the mixture in the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes or until flour begins to brown. Add shrimp and broth. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until shrimp is pink and gravy is thick. Add a little more broth or water if it gets too thick. If you have cooked bacon to get the drippings, may as well crumble that up and throw it in.

Serve over grits.

Serves 4