I’ve lived in the south all my life, and grits were always a breakfast dish made with white corn grits, mixed with butter and salt; yum. I have an Italian grandmother, and now an Italian husband, and yellow corn grits has always been polenta; also yum.
As contemporary American chefs get back to basic food traditions, I’m finding grits on the menu more often, and it’s not just for breakfast anymore. I was inspired to make this after a visit to Hattie’s (an American bistro with a southern low-country influence) in Dallas. Whether you call it grits or polenta, I have an easy, yummy recipe for you.
Ingredients
- 6 cups organic free-range chicken stock or broth
- 2 cups organic yellow corn grits/polenta (War Eagle Mill or Bob’s Red Mill)
- 2 boxes Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese
- 3 Tbsp butter from grass-fed cows (from your local farmer or Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter)
- 2 pounds (12 – 15 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
- 6 slices Applegate Farm Organic Sunday Bacon
- Tabasco Chipotle Sauce
Cook the grits according to package directions; I use chicken stock or broth, instead of water, for flavor. The War Eagle grits have microwave instructions, Bob’s Red Mill has stove top instructions. Leave the grits mushy, there’s no need to let it set up in a bowl to cut into cakes.
Toss the shrimp with good olive oil and sea salt and pepper. Spread them in one layer on a sheet pan, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes in a 400 degree oven. (This great method for cooking shrimp is from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbook – a great resource.)
Cook the bacon until crispy, remove from pan and reserve the fat. Mix bacon fat with Tabasco Chipotle to taste.
To assemble:
- mix the grits with cheese and butter, place on plate
- top with shrimp
- break bits of crispy bacon over dish
- spoon bacon Tabasco sauce over the top
Serve hot with a big salad, a nice glass of chilled white wine and enjoy! Be well.
The Healthy, Happy Eater 