Feeling Southern: Shrimp & Grits

Let me start by saying that I have never made this before.  However, I am technically from the south (MD is S of the mason dixon line, still a stretch, I know) so I should at least try.  I never ate grits growing up, no one in my family ever made them. However, steamed shrimp, yes, pretty much a staple at any family gathering.  Cheesy grits with bacon just sounded so good to me, I had to have them for dinner.  So....went to the grocery store to buy shrimp. Check. Tried to find grits....some sort of quick cook variety. No luck. Hmmmmmm where were the grits?  I realized that grits were just cornmeal anyway and bought a big box of the white kind.

Cornmeal, Grits, polenta......can be very temperamental.  You don't want it to seize up on you.  To keep this from happening, you must add the grits to the boiling water slowly while you whisk.  Sometimes I have the man friend pour while I wisk, just to be sure.  So, boil water....about 5-6 cups. Salt the water. You need about 1  1/2 cups cornmeal added slowly to the water. Whisk, baby, whisk. Once it's all incorporated, you can use a wooden spoon, making sure to get the sides and the bottom stirred in so it doesn't burn.  Turn your heat down a bit.  It should be ok for a few minutes.....

 Sautee onions and leeks in olive oil. (green parts-make sure they are washed...leeks are dirty buggers)
Cook til onions are soft. Add shrimp  (my shrimp were marinating in white wine, olive oil, garlic and red chili flakes)  Salt those shrimps. CHECK YOUR GRITS AND STIR FOR A FEW MINUTES.

 Next, I added a touch of white wine to the pan, a bit of heavy cream and a teaspoon of butter. Cooked until the shrimp were pink so literally only a few minutes. To the grits, I added cream, (about 1/4-1/2 cup) Just add until consistency is creamy. Then about 3 teaspoons of butter cut into chunks. Finally, I added some white cheddar (see first pic) and cooked bacon that I crumbled. Total cooking time on the grits is about 25  minutes. Taste as you cook, add salt if you need to the grits. I can't stress this enough. Taste, taste, taste.

Pour the grits in a bowl and spoon the shrimp mixture over it.  This shit will make you wanna go to church on Sunday. Seriously, enlightening what butter and cream can do. Obvi, if you're crazy and don't praise the lard, you can omit the bacon. It seems to be hiding in my grits but it's in there.  Hallelujah!
If you find yourself speaking with a southern twang after this meal, just blame it on the grits.