The Shrimp
1TBS vegetable oil
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS fresh basil, chopped
1 TBS fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 cup canned tomatoes
1 cup tomato juice
1 cup shrimp, chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 TBS freshly ground black pepper
2 lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 TBS cold butter
In a 4-quart pot, preheat vegetable oil and saute onions, celery, and green peppers on high heat until tender. Add garlic, jalapeno pepper and herbs and saute for another 2 minutes.
Add the remainder of the ingredients except the shrimp and butter. Lower heat to simmer for 20 minutes.
Allow sauce to cool then process in a blender; puree to a smooth consistency. This can be done a few days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
Place the shrimp and refrigerated sauce into a large pot on low heat, stirring frequently to ensure even cooking. The shrimp should be done in 10 minutes; don’t overcook! When the shrimp are almost ready, stir in the butter.
Quickly remove the shrimp and set aside.
The Grits
2 cups grits, not instant
5 cups shrimp, chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups white cheddar cheese
1 TBS salt
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
3 cups cornmeal
2 cups vegetable oil
Place stock and cream in a 2-quart pot. Place over high heat and bring to a boil.
Stir in the grits and lower heat to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes.
Stir in cheese, salt and white pepper. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
Taste the grits and notice the texture. When the grits have a smooth, creamy feel in your mouth, they are done. If they still have too much texture, add a cup of water and continue to cook.
Pour the grits into a sheet pan about 1 1/2 inches thick and allow them to cool in the refrigerator. When thoroughly cool, cut into 3- to 4-inch circles or squares. At this point, grits can be reserved for a few days and kept in the refrigerator.
Dust the grits with cornmeal. Set them aside until ready to fry.
Preheat oil to about 350 degrees in a large saute pan or tabletop deep fat fryer. In small batches, fry the grits to a golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.
The Assembly
On each plate, ladle about 3-4 ounces of warm sauce. Place grits over the sauce and then stand the shrimp up in the grits.
Serve immediately.
And enjoy…!
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