Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients

• 2 cups blue Carolina grits
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 ½ to 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (more to taste)
• ½ cup cream
• ⅓ cup Parmesan
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Hot sauce to taste

For the topping:

• 2 lbs 20-30 count East Coast white shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 5 pieces thick cut bacon
• 3 cups white or cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large shallots, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed and made into a paste with some salt
• 2 cups bell peppers, sliced
• Bunch of fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• 1 ½ tsp chicken bouillon base + 1 ½ cups water, combined
• 4 tspn cold butter, cut into pieces
• Green or spring onions
• 3 lemons

Instructions

Grits:

1. 1
   In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, cook grits in chicken broth over medium heat. Cook until about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent lumps.
2. 2
   Add cheddar cheese and stir to melt and keep smooth.
3. 3
   Add butter, cream, and Parmesan. Finish with salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste
4. 4
   Keep on low heat while you finish the shrimp. Loosen as needed at the end with half and half

Shrimp & topping:

5. 1
   In a large saute pan, fry bacon. Remove when brown and reserve rendered fat.
6. 2
   In the bacon fat, sauté the shrimp on high heat until just pink. Remove and set aside
7. 3
   In the remaining bacon fat, sauté the mushrooms until browned and the liquid is evaporated. Remove and reserve mushrooms. (Add additional butter or olive oil if there’s no bacon fat left after the shrimp and mushrooms.)
8. 4
   To the same pan, add about 2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté shallots until sweating, then add the garlic paste for just about 60 seconds
9. 5
   Add the peppers and sauté with the shallots and garlic until they are just softening.
10. 6
    When the peppers and onions are softened, return the mushrooms to the pan, add chopped fresh thyme, and white wine to pan. Let the white wine cook down by half
11. 7
    Add stock and cook down by half again.
12. 8
    Reduce heat and add shrimp back to the pan.
13. 9
    Add pieces of butter one at a time, stirring into sauce until melted. Add more as needed for a silky, buttery finish. Add salt and a few grinds of pepper.
14. 10
    Serve with the grits and enjoy!