Food Talk Dear Chef, I recently spent some time in both Savannah and Charleston and tried to sample the best of all the regional specialty dishes. I fell in love with a dish called Shrimp and Grits and found that different celebrated chefs had slight variations on the dish. What is your favorite preparation of this Southeastern classic?? And what wine would you pair with it? It seems it would be a wonderful dish for entertaining if it could be prepared in advance. Can that be successfully done? A Conroe reader A. Hmmm...being of Creole roots here’s my version of this low country favorite. This recipe is easy to prepare. The sauce can be prepared in advance and reheated with the addition of the shrimp; served over the freshly prepared grits mixture. I would pair this dish with a spicy full bodied Chardonnay or Alsace Riesling. Creole Shrimp and Grits 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk (do not use fat-free)
2 cups sliced mushrooms (4 to 5 ounces) 1 cup chopped onion ¾ cup chopped green bell pepper 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced ¾ cup plum tomatoes 1 pound shelled and deveined medium shrimp 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional) 1. Bring water and milk to boil in large saucepan. Gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer until grits are thick, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Mix in cheese and chives; season with salt and pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2. In a large skillet, sauté bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels. Add mushrooms, onion, bell pepper; and garlic to bacon drippings. Sauté over medium-high heat until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add shrimp, cayenne, and tomatoes to skillet. Sauté until shrimp are just opaque in center, about 4 minutes. Add Tabasco sauce if desired.
5 bacon slices, chopped
Spoon hot grits onto plates; top with shrimp, sauce and bacon.
1 ½ cups quick-cooking grits 1 ½ cups (packed) coarsely grated sharp white cheddar cheese ¼ cup snipped chives
Cooking On The Run Quick Chicken Kiev 4 servings ½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature 2 green onions, chopped 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1½ teaspoons grated lemon peel 1 garlic clove, minced 4 boneless chicken breast halves,skinned 1 egg, beaten to blend 1 cup dry breadcrumbs ¼ cup vegetable oil Freshly cooked rice 1. Combine first 6 ingredients in small bowl. Divide into fourths. Form each into log. Wrap herb butter tightly and freeze until firm. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.) Place chicken between sheets of waxed paper.
4 Butter Bits
Holiday 2012
2. Flatten chicken to thickness of ¼ inch, using meat mallet or rolling pin. Place one herb butter log in center of each breast half. Wrap chicken around butter. Secure with toothpicks. 3. Dip chicken in egg; dredge in breadcrumbs. Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown, turning occasionally, 12 minutes. Serve hot with rice.