Creole Spiced Shrimp and Cheese Grits

Creole Spice Shrimp and Cheese Grits
via: Katria Runs for Food blog

GRITS

2 Tablespoons of butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 cup milk
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 cup water, and additional may be needed to thin grits.
1 cup quick cooking grits
1/4 cup EACH of cheddar, parmesan, gruyere cheeses.
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Shrimp

1/2 cup butter, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons creole or cajun seasoning
1-1/5 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 64 shrimp)
8 ounces dry white wine*
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup finely chopped tomato
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Garnishes: julienned prosciutto, crumbled cooked bacon, chopped fresh chives
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan. Add garlic and 1 tablespoon thyme; sauté 1 minute. Add milk and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; whisk in grits. Reduce heat to lowest setting; cook 10 minutes or until done, stirring occasionally. Add cheeses and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. If they set too firmly when ready to serve with shrimp, add water or milk to thin and reconstitute.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Add garlic, celery, bell pepper, onions, thyme, cajun seasoning; sauté 30 seconds. Add shrimp, and cook 7 minutes. Remove shrimp and veggies from skillet.
Add wine, stirring to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to low; whisk in remaining butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in lemon juice, tomato, and parsley. Cook 3-5 minutes. Return shrimp and veggies to pan. Stir to mix with butter tomato sauce. Serve over grits. Garnish, if desired.
* If you would rather not use the wine, use broth or lemon juice.

Orecchiette with Peas, Shrimp, and Buttermilk-Herb Dressing

Here's a recipe that was popular this week:

Orecchiette with Peas, Shrimp, and Buttermilk-Herb Dressing
via: Cooking Light magazine, June 2011

* YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)
* HANDS-ON: 30 MINUTES
* TOTAL: 30 MINUTES
* COURSE: Main Dishes, Salads

Ingredients

* 8 ounces uncooked orecchiette pasta
* 1 cup shelled green peas (about 1 pound unshelled green peas) or frozen green peas
* 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 1 cup thinly sliced radishes ( left these out and added in diced cucumber in its place)
* 1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
* 1/4 cup fat-free buttermilk
* 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
* 2 garlic cloves, minced

Preparation

* 1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Add peas and shrimp during last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain.
* 2. Combine pasta mixture and radishes in a large bowl. Combine mayonnaise and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Pour over pasta mixture, tossing to coat. Cover and let stand 20 minutes. Serve at room temperature, or cover and chill until ready to serve.
* Wine note: Sweet shrimp, peppery summer radishes, and the refreshing dill and buttermilk dressing all point to a wine with tangy acidity, fresh berry fruit, and a zip of citrus. The Fleur, Pinot Noir, Rosé (2009, Carneros, Calif.; $15)—with its shocking bright-red hue—is a hands-down crowd-pleaser and an excellent value.—Alexander Spacher

Shrimp Kristofer’s From The Inn at Kristofer’s

Shrimp Kristofer’s From The Inn at Kristofer’s
Sister Bay, Door County Wisconsin
Serves 832 Large Shrimp , tails intact, deveined and butterflied (8-10 count size, 3-4 per person serving size)2 TBl Olive Oil
2 tea fresh Ginger, peeled and finely minced
2 Garlic Cloves, minced

Sauce –1 TBL Olive Oil
½ pound Chorizo sausage, crumbled (remove from casting, if necessary)
28 oz Roma Tomatoes, coarsely chopped
3 TBL Fresh Ginger, peeled and finely minced
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
¾ cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 TBL Soy Sauce
¼ cup Honey
¼ cup Brown Sugar
1 TBL Worcestershire Sauce
2 TBL Fresh Cilantro, chopped – for garnish, optional

Shrimp –
Place the shrimp, 2 TBL olive oil , ginger and garlic in a large ceramic/glass bowl, covered, to marinate for at least 3-6 hours.

Sauce –
Place 1 TBL of olive oil in a medium hot skillet. Add the chorizo sausage and tomatoes. Cook until the sausage is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain off the excess grease. Add the ginger, garlic and shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Cook until the sauce is syrupy and thick – about 10-15 minutes. Place this in a food processor and puree until smooth. The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
In a clean skillet that is heated to medium high, add the shrimp, cut side down. No olive oil is needed since it is in the marinade. Cook until the shrimp are pink and opaque throughout, about 4-5 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp.

To serve, place the shrimp on a plate and drizzle with the sauce. Feel free to add the cilantro as a garnish. It is great with mashed potatoes or rice. You can make it “hotter” by adding a jalapeno to the sauce.

Chef’s Tip –
Shrimp come from different areas. The best shrimp are from Central America and are called white shrimp or Panama whites. They are firm and have a sweet flavor. Tiger shrimp are the next , followed by the brown shrimp. Brown shrimp then to be softer and do not hold up well when sautéed.