Cheesy Shrimp and Grits with Tasso

Shrimp and Grits is one of those dishes that I’ve always wanted to try, but somehow just never got around to (I know…seems impossible right? J ). I’ve had a lifelong love of grits thanks to my Army brat cousins; growing up in New England they weren’t exactly a common breakfast item, but the girls brought them to Maine one summer and I came home absolutely hooked. Warm, comforting, doused with plenty of butter, salt, and pepper…like a warm hug for your stomach. What’s not to love?

The addition of spicy shrimp to the buttery goodness of grits might seem a little strange at first, especially to Northern palates. Shrimp and Grits actually started as breakfast food in the Lowcountry marshes of the southern coast of the US; as these states had both of these items in plentiful supply, it would make sense to combine them into a hearty breakfast to fortify a day of farming or fishing or what have you. Over the last few decades, the dish has become standard dinner fare; first in the South, then moving slowly northward to places like…Kansas City. Yes, it was on a trip to KC (sadly, for a memorial for a dear friend) that I finally ordered myself some Shrimp and Grits; after a  4 AM start in Boston and no food until about 2 in the afternoon, I was in desperate need of breakfast and lunch all at the same time. Shrimp and Grits seemed like it would fit the bill; the version I ended up having at the Classic Cup Café was the perfect introduction: loads of juicy, perfectly cooked shrimp flecked with andouille in a spicy tomato broth over creamy, delicious grits. Kind of a mashup between jambalaya and grits, really; absolute heaven. I left there fortified for my sad task ahead…my stomach, at least, was happy.

Happier stuff…so, when I went to recreate this dish at home I had a few requirements. One was that I really wanted to use some tasso that we had picked up on a road trip a few months back. Tasso is a Louisiana version of ham; Cajun spiced, super flavorful, and a common ingredient in New Orleans versions of shrimp and grits. I also wanted a dish that would fit into my new healthier way of eating; from the basic components I knew it wasn’t something that was going to need a lot of fat or high calorie ingredients to bring the flavors out, a few quick swaps that no one would notice and reasonable portions of cheese and pork and I’d be able to keep the calories and fat under control.  Third is that I really wanted to use my slow cooker; I knew it wouldn’t make sense to slow cook shrimp all day, but I figured the grits at least could come to creamy nirvana in the old crockpot. And did they ever…I have to say, I am SUPER proud of how this one came out on my very first attempt. Sometimes it even looks like I know what I’m doing in the kitchen.

A few last notes…for those who count WW points, I ran this through MyFitnessPal’s recipe builder to get the nutrient totals and then plugged that data into the WW recipe builder to come up with 10 SmartPoints per serving…long story, but ever since the plan change I’ve been more of a calorie counter than a point counter, so I needed the full nutritional data.  If you come up with a different point value I encourage you to use it; always do what works for you. 10 points works for me. I also always encourage you to make substitutions; this dish would be delicious with andouille sausage or even hot Italian if that’s what you have, can find, or like; if you have fresh tomatoes to use up throw them in instead.   Remember, it’s your kitchen!!

Cheesy Shrimp and Grits with Tasso

Makes 8 servings, 1 ½ cups per serving

1 ½ cups old fashioned grits (not instant)

6 cups chicken stock, lowfat if available (I actually used Knorr’s bouillon cubes; the only kind I do use!)

6 ounces tasso ham or andouille sausage, diced

1 small onion, chopped

1 medium red pepper, chopped

Old Bay seasoning, to taste

¾ cup fat free half and half

2 pounds shrimp, shells removed and deveined (large or extra large work best)

1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar, 2%

Chopped scallions, for garnish

Combine grits and chicken stock in slow cooker; cook for 2 ½ hours on HIGH, or 5 – 6 hours on LOW until just about done. 

Sauté the tasso in a large frying pan over medium heat for a couple of minutes, or until you can really smell it and some of the fat has escaped out into the pan. Add the onions and pepper and cook for 5 -10 minutes until they start to get soft.  If you are using raw shrimp add them at about 5 minutes in; if your shrimp are already cooked, add them at the end (they only take about 5 minutes to cook). Season the contents of the pan with Old Bay and cook another minute; then add the contents of the pan to the slow cooker along with the cream, cheese and tomatoes. Stir well, and cook on LOW another 30 – 60 minutes until everything is well heated through. Garnish with scallions. 

Mark's Shrimp Étouffée

We didn't intend for our first experience making étouffée to be just in time for Mardi Gras...just one of those fortuitous coincidences . By all means, don't wait until Mardi Gras to make this, though...we are talking serious Culinary Orgasm here. And it's easier to get to than you think.

First, of course, a little background. "Étouffée" literally means "smothered" in French (side  note : I should get some interesting blog hits using the words "orgasm" and "smothered" in the same post...anyone that's here for the snuff film, your blog is in another castle ;) ). "Smothering" refers to an actual cooking technique wherein your tasty ingredients of choice are cooked in a covered pan over low heat with a small amount of liquid. Étouffée also involves a roux...but not the quick mix of fat and starch that you'd use to thicken a white sauce or gravy. This roux is cooked low and slow until it's nutty and brown and dead sexy. Scientists call this the "Malliard reaction" - the browning creates literally hundreds of different flavor components that do happy dances on your tongue. We just call it OMGWTF good. (If the scientists are boring you, just feed them more and tell them not to talk with their mouths full).

Our own journey with étouffée started with a not-so-great restaurant, actually. We're big fans of Cajun/Creole food here (Mark's jambalaya is legendary), and étouffée is something that we'd read about but never actually had. We'd gotten a line on a Cajun restaurant in the Springfield, MA area that was supposed to be amazing (supposedly complete with alligator jambalaya !), and when we were out there for a sportsman's show we decided to check it out. We were definitely...underwhelmed. No alligator to be had, so Mark went for the étouffée  - edible, but nothing to write home about. Once we tried it, we knew we could do better. I've been after Mark to challenge himself with some new dishes...and with a blizzard this past weekend, he had the perfect opportunity to google himself a couple of recipes (this one was inspired by both Paula Deen's and Emeril's...pretty good sourcing !). I did nothing with this other than eat it...and it was AWESOME. Serious, serious Culinary Orgasm.

A note on the Shrimp Stock: it's definitely worth it to make this homemade as it's very, very easy (and you'll have everything on hand to make the étouffée anyway). This will make enough for two batches of  étouffée; it freezes beautifully and works in so many dishes (may I humbly suggest my own excellent seafood risotto...okay, maybe that wasn't so humble :) ) Oh, and one more note, this time on the rice : we strongly recommend making your rice using chicken stock instead of water, particularly for this dish...it adds a very nice touch.

shrimp stock a bubblin'

perfect caramel roux

add the veg...

 simmering !

 sourdough ciabatta rolls make a wonderful side

 ready to eat

YUM !

 

Mark’s Shrimp Etouffee

(inspired by Paula Deen and Emeril Lagasse)

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra flour, optional
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
3 – 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more if desired
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (Mark used a mix of Emeril's Baby Bam and Essence, as we had mixed up both for some prior recipes...they are very similar, so either would work...or use your favorite blend !)
1/2 cup minced green onions, plus extra for garnish if desired
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves, plus extra for garnish if desired
2 to 3 dashes hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
2 cups Shrimp Stock (recipe below)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice (the fire roasted ones are fantastic in this )
Additional salt to taste
2 pounds medium shrimp (21-25 ct)peeled and deveined (save the shells for the stock !)
Cooked rice, for serving

 

Peel shrimp and make Shrimp Stock (see below)

Make the roux : melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over low heat. Whisk in flour to form a paste. Continue cooking over low heat and whisk continuously, until the mixture turns a caramel color and gives off a nutty aroma, about 15 to 20 minutes. To the roux, add the onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic and cook over low heat about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are limp. Add pepper, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, parsley, and hot sauce to taste. Add stock and the tomatoes with their juice, stir to blend. Add the salt, starting with 1/2 teaspoon and adding more if needed. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add shrimp and green onions and stir. It will take about 3 minutes for shrimp to cook, don't overcook. Remove from heat.  Garnish with additional green onions and parsley, if desired. Serve over hot cooked rice.

 

Shrimp Stock:

Shrimp shells from 2 lbs of shrimp

1 cup coarsely chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery (include the leafy tops)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped carrots
3 smashed garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Large sprig of fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
2 teaspoons salt

 

Place the shrimp shells and heads in a large colander and rinse under cold running water for several minutes. Combine the shrimp shells and remaining ingredients in a heavy 6-quart stockpot, add 1 quart water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim to remove any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes, skimming occasionally.

Remove the stock from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container; let cool completely. Refrigerate the stock for up to 3 days or freeze in airtight containers for up to 2 months.

Tortellini with Shrimp, Pesto, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

I have to admit, Sandra Lee kind of cracks me up. I know there's a lot of foodies out there - both famous and not so much (including some good friends of mine :) )  - that love to diss her, since often what she's doing is basically throwing together packaged stuff and calling it cooking. And those "tablescape" things kill me - I mean, I like to show off my food too, but there's so much crap on the table that none of the damn food would fit  !! On the other hand...she's always having so much fun. And you just know she mixes up a killer cocktail (all of her shows seem to include them) . I bet her parties actually kind of rock - and she'd definitely be the friend to go to when, say, you just got dumped by your boyfriend and you need a night of those self-indulgent foods that you know you love (we ALL have them), washed down with prodigious amounts of booze.

On the other hand...there actually are a lot of really excellent meals you can make that start with some already prepared items. It's a great way to get started when you're pressed for time, of course, but also if you're just starting to get into cooking, or if your skills are not quite where you'd like them to be yet and you want to make a dinner that's kind of impressive. This dish is exactly that - quick and easy (if you use prepared pesto and cooked shrimp), yet elegant and really, REALLY good. And when you're ready to take it to the next level, it's very easy to make your own pesto (recipe below, or use your favorite) and/or to simply saute raw shrimp in a little olive oil, salt and pepper until done. Just don't tell anyone if you use the prepared stuff...or a little voice in your kitchen might say "wow, Mom...that's kind of like the stuff that Semi-Homemade lady makes". Thanks, Alex :)

We first ate this dish many, many years ago at a place called Stromboli's, which is no longer there (actually, it was replaced by our favorite Italian restaurant, Fiorella's.). The components are so easy that we instantly came home and recreated it....and that first summer we had it, we were absolutely obsessed - I think we had it at least once a week. The dish works equally well as a hot pasta dish or a cold pasta salad, so there was plenty of opportunity...and as I recall someone was supplying us with plenty of fresh basil, so we were constantly making pesto and making this dish. I don't think I could even look at pesto for a few years afterwards, but man oh man, it was nice while it lasted.

I have made this many times since - both with prepared pesto and homemade - and while the homemade is better, making it with prepared pesto will still give you excellent results. Just use the best quality stuff you can find, and I promise you will love it !!

Tortellini with Shrimp, Pesto, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Serves 4 (really it does - very, very filling !)

20 oz package of fresh tri-color tortellini  (or 2 9 oz bags,  frozen )
1 lb cooked shrimp, tails removed
8.5 oz jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (chopped or whole, your preference), drained, oil reserved.
1 1/4 cup pesto (11 oz container of Buitoni works perfectly)

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and mix with other ingredients, drizzling in as much of the sun-dried tomato oil as you need or like.

Basic Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup pine nuts or walnuts
2 - 4 cloves garlic (to taste)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste

In food processor, pulse basil, nuts and garlic until chopped. With processor running, drizzle in olive oil. Add cheese and process briefly to combine. Add salt and pepper if needed.