The Ultimate Shrimp and Grits

Not an easy recipe to put together, 

but aren't shrimp and grits worth it?

The recipe is adapted from Tyler Florence . . . 

a great dish for a special occasion!

Ingredients

Grits

• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream (if desired)
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 4 cups water 
• 1 cup quick cook grits (not instant) 
• Kosher salt 
• Fresh ground black pepper (if desired) 
• Extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 medium white onion, minced 
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced 
• 1 pound spicy andouille sausage links, cut into bite-size pieces 
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 2 cups chicken broth 
• 1 bay leaf 
• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on or off 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• Pinch cayenne pepper 
• 4 shakes bottled hot sauce 
• 1/2 lemon, juice only 
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley 
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives 
• 1 recipe Buttermilk Biscuits 

Buttermilk Biscuits

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 1 cup cold shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 - 2 cups buttermilk

Directions

Grits

Add the water, butter, salt (about 3 teaspoons) and cream (if desired) to a 3-quart pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. 

Add grits and whisk constantly. 

Reduce the heat and simmer when the grits begin to bubble. 

Cook until the mixture is smooth and thick, for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove from heat. (Thin grits with a little extra cream or water, if necessary). 

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sauce

Heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. 

Saute the white onion and garlic for about 2 minutes to soften. 

Add the sausage.  Cook, stirring, until the fat has rendered and the sausage is brown. 

Sprinkle flour into the fat.  Stir to create a roux. 

Slowly pour in the broth and continue to stir (this will avoid lumps). 

Add bay leaf. 

Cook and stir occasionally until the liquid has come to a simmer.  

Remove from heat. Keep warm.

Shrimp

Preheat the grill to medium-high. 

Quickly and carefully wipe the grate with oiled paper towels to create a nonstick surface. 

Season shrimp with plenty of salt and pepper. 

Place shrimp on grill; cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until shrimp turn pink. 

Put it all together

Fold the grilled shrimp into the sauce. 

Add the cayenne pepper, hot sauce, and lemon juice. 

Season with salt and pepper. 

Stir in parsley and chives. 

Serve shrimp on top of the grits with Buttermilk Biscuits (recipe follows).


Buttermilk Biscuits

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 

Sift together, in a large bowl, the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. 

Cut in the pieces of shortening into the flour mixture, using your hands or a pastry blender, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 

Make a well in the center and add 1 cup buttermilk. 

Quickly fold the dry ingredients into the buttermilk using your hands, until a sticky dough forms. (If the dough is too dry, add 1/2 to 1 cup of buttermilk, a little at a time, until a sticky dough forms.) 

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. 

Create layers by gently fold the dough three or four times. 

Press the dough to a 1 1/2-inch thickness.  Cut with a floured 3-inch biscuit cutter. 

Place the biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet. Brush the tops with additional buttermilk. 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.

This recipe was adapted from:

Source:  recipe.com

Recipe by Tyler Florence

Chicken Parmigiana and Garlic Bread

Tyler's Ultimate is one of my favorite cooking shows . . . his meals are always practical, relatively easy and his presentation is awesome.

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence See this recipe on air Friday Jul. 18 at 3:30 PM ET/PT. Show: Tyler's Ultimate Episode: Ultimate Chicken Parmigiana

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons 1 medium onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 bay leaves 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted 1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed Pinch sugar Pinch red pepper flakes Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds) 1/2 cup all-purpose flour Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon water 1 cup dried plain bread crumbs 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves 2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 (8-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced 1 pound spaghetti pasta, cooked al dente Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a saute pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. When the oil gets hazy, add the onions, garlic, and bay leaves; cook and stir for 5 minutes until fragrant and soft. Add the olives and some hand-torn basil, reserve the rest of the basil for finishing the chicken. Carefully add the tomatoes (nothing splashes like tomatoes), cook and stir until the liquid is cooked down and the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes; season with sugar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and keep warm. Get the ingredients together for the chicken so you have a little assembly line. Put the flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, combine the eggs and water, beat until frothy. Put the bread crumbs on a plate, add the 1 cup parmesan, chopped parsley, and garlic powder Season with salt and pepper and stir with a fork until thoroughly combined. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high flame in a large oven-proof skillet. Lightly dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off, then dredge in the bread crumbs. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 4 minutes on each side until golden and crusty, turning once. Ladle the tomato-olive sauce over the chicken and arrange the mozzarella on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan, and remaining basil. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve hot with spaghetti. Herbed Garlic Bread 1 stick butter (1/2 cup), at room temperature 2 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste with a pinch of salt and extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 loaf crusty baguette Extra-virgin olive oil Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For the bread, stir together the butter, mashed garlic, and herbs in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Tear open the loaf of bread lengthwise, spread the herb-garlic mixture over both halves and sprinkle with a little olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes.