Shrimp and Grits

Recipe courtesy of Julep Restaurant & Bar
Jackson, Mississippi

Serves 4

GRITS
3 Cups Water
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Cup Quick-cooking Grits
1/2 Cup Smoked Gouda Cheese, shredded
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Teaspoons Garlic, minced
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground White Pepper

SHRIMP
3 Tablespoons Salad Oil
20 Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Cups Corn, frozen
2 Cups Red Onion, diced
2 Cups Red Bell Pepper, diced
2 Cups Heavy Cream
4 Teaspoons Fresh Chives, chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Fresh Mint, chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Fresh Basil, chopped
2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

GRITS
In a large saucepan, combine water and cream. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Add grits, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium low. Cook grits until creamy, approximately 10 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.
Add cheeses, butter, garlic, salt, and pepper, folding to combine.

SHRIMP
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add shrimp, tossing to coat. Add corn, onion, and bell pepper. Cook until tender, approximately 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add cream, cooking until thick. Add chives, mint, basil, salt, and pepper, stirring to combine.
Serve over warm grits.

Crawfish Bisque

Serves 8

CRAWFISH
12 pounds boiled crawfish OR 2 pounds tail meat and 35 cleaned heads
If purchasing tail meat, buy at least 3 pounds boiled crawfish; peel, reserve shells and heads

STUFFING
· ¼ cup flour for roux
· 4 tablespoons oil
· ½ large onion, finely chopped
· ½ large bell pepper, finely chopped
· 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
· 1 small can tomato paste
· 1 teaspoon thyme
· ¼ teaspoon black pepper
· ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
· 1 teaspoon salt
· ½ cup plain bread crumbs
· 1 cup chopped crawfish tails
· 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
· 1 stick butter
· ½ cup flour for rolling heads
Make a dark roux with the flour and oil. Add onions, then bell pepper and celery and cook until tender. Add tomato paste and chopped tails. Add seasonings and simmer on low flame 10 to 15 minutes. Add bread crumbs, crawfish, parsley and butter. Fill each head with stuffing. Roll in flour and bake for 15 minutes in a 300-degree oven. Set aside.
BISQUE
· ½ cup flour
· ½ cup oil
· ½ large onion, finely chopped
· ½ bell pepper, finely chopped
· 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
· 1 ½ quarts crawfish stock
· 2 teaspoons salt
· 2 bay leaves
· 2 tablespoons thyme
· ½ cup tomato sauce
· 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
· 2 cups crawfish tails
· 1 ½ tablespoon parsley, chopped

Make a dark roux with the oil and flour. Add onion, the bell pepper and celery and cook until tender. Add stock, seasonings, tomato sauce and garlic and simmer for 40 minutes. Add crawfish tails and stuffed heads and simmer another 20 minutes. Add parsley.

NOTE: To make stock, boil shells from at least 3 pounds crawfish, plus trimmings from onions and other vegetables. Cover with water 2 inches over the shells and boil for 15 to 20 minutes.

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