Recipe for Shrimp and Grits

My Lord, look at that picture. It makes my mouth water when I see it. The other day I was watching Tyler Florence and he was making Shrimp 'n' Grits and it looked so good. So I did a little digging and I came across this recipe the other day and I am dying to try it. I'll let you know how it turns out once I make it.

Georgia Shrimp 'n' Grits

adapted from Joe Barnett's Recipe

3/4 lb. wild Georgia shrimp
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup quick-cooking grits
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon butter
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
4 teaspoons flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1 slice cured country ham, cooked and torn into pieces

Peel and de-vein the shrimp. Combine in a small bowl the Cajun seasoning, the paprika, the Italian seasoning, and the pepper. Sprinkle the mixture over the shrimp, tossing until they are well coated. Set aside.

Next, pour the water, the chicken boullion, and the butter into a heavy saucepan. Bring the mixture to a full boil. Slowly add in the grits, and whisk constantly, cooking over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, the cream, and the cheddar cheese. Continue to cook and whisk for 2-3 more minutes, until grits become very creamy and thick. To quote the original recipe, "Don't skimp on the butter and the cream, folks."

In a large skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Pour in the spiced shrimp and cook JUST until they are done and tender, about 2 minutes (depending on the size of your shrimp). Do not overcook or your shrimp will get rubbery. Remove the shrimp from the pan to a clean bowl and set aside.Return the pan to the stove. Add the flour to the drippings, stirring to make the base of a roux. Cook for 10 minutes until medium tan in color. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and the cream. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the worchestershire sauce and hot sauce, stirring to incorporate. Finally, add the country ham. Serve the shrimp on a generous bed of grits, topped with the roux sauce.

Recipe for Shrimp Ceviche

Steven and I had to drop my car off this morning to be detailed. We got there around 9:30 a.m. and decided that because we had 6 hours to kill we would head over to Tysons. Recently I downloaded an application for a pedometer on my iphone and we clocked our walk around the mall. By the time we were done we had walked almost 3,000 steps. From what I have read 2,000 steps equals a mile, so in total we walked a mile and a half. Not too bad just to walk around the mall.

We stopped off at Coastal Flats because we were both hungry and craving a burger and they have the best burgers. It's a perfect balance of bread and burger. I hate burgers that are more bread than burger and vice versa. They top it with shredded lettuce and just the right balance of pickle, mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard. I had mine with sweet potato fries and Steven had his with shoestring fries.

As an appetizer we had the Yucatan Shrimp Cocktail, which is basically their version of a Shrimp Ceviche. By far this is my favorite appetizer because it's healthy and chock full of flavor. It's almost like shrimp with a tropical gazpacho. I will definitely try to replicate this recipe at home. From what I could tell it had shrimp, chopped tomato, chopped radish, mango cubes, avocado, lime juice, mango juice and fresh cilantro. They serve it with saltines and hot sauce.

I'm including a recipe for Shrimp Ceviche which I found on http://www.foodnetwork.com/. It's the closest recipe I could find. It's definitely worth a try.

Ingredients

1 quart salted water
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 generous pound unpeeled small shrimp (about 41 to 50 count to a pound)
1/2 medium white onion, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus several sprigs for garnish
1/2 cup ketchup
1 to 2 tablespoons vinegary Mexican bottled hot sauce
About 2 tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra-virgin (optional, but smoothes out sharpness)
1 cup peeled, diced cucumber or jicama (or 1/2 cup each)
1 small ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
Salt
Several lime slices, for garnish
Tostadas or tortilla chips or saltine crackers, for serving

Directions
Cooking and marinating the shrimp: Bring 1 quart salted water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of the lime juice. Add shrimp, cover and return to a boil. Immediately remove from heat, set pot lid askew and pour off all liquid. Replace lid and set aside, letting shrimp steam in closed pot for 10 minutes. Spread out shrimp in large glass or stainless steel bowl to cool completely. Peel shrimp (and devein, if desired). Toss shrimp with remaining 1/2 cup lime juice, cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

The flavorings: In a small strainer, rinse chopped onion under cold water, then shake off excess liquid. Add to shrimp bowl along with chopped cilantro, ketchup, hot sauce, optional olive oil, cucumber and/or jicama and avocado. Mix gently, taste and season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon. Cover and refrigerate up to a few hours, or serve immediately.

Serving the ceviche: Spoon the ceviche into sundae glasses, martini glasses or small bowls. Garnish with sprigs of cilantro and slices of lime. Serve with tostadas, tortilla chips or saltines.