Sunday Brunch: Shrimp and Grits

By now, everyone knows about shrimp and grits, right? The famous low country delicacy? The shrimp cooked in a bacon-y mushroom gravy and served over cheese grits? If not, you really should try it--you don't know what you've missed. Shrimp and Grits makes a very impressive and delicious brunch dish to serve all your guests on special ocassions.

This is the recipe of gifted chef and resturanteur, Chef Bill Neal (1950 - 1991) from Crook's Corner Restaurant, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This is the best recipe for the dish I have ever eaten at any restaurant, or cooked at home. There is a long list of ingredients (it is a complex dish) but it comes together quickly, once you have everything assembled and prepped.

So go ahead, start frying that bacon, squeezing some lemons, grating cheese, slicing mushrooms, and peeling those shrimp, it really is a delicious combination of flavors.

Bill Neal's Shrimp and Grits

2 cups water

One 14 1/2 oz. can chicken broth

3/4 cup half and half

1 cup stone ground grits

3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce

1/4 tsp. white pepper

3 slices bacon

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. salt

1/4 cup flour

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup scallions, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce

lemon wedges

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil, in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in grits; reduce to simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, according to time on package. When the grits are done, stir in the cheddar cheese and next 4 ingredients, stirring until cheeses are melted. Cover and set aside, but keep warm.

While the grits are cooking, fry in bacon in a large skillet, until crisp. Set aside on paper towel and reserve 1 Tbsp. drippings in skillet. Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and pepper, dredge in flour, and set aside.

In the bacon drippings, saute the mushrooms about 5 minutes, or until tender. Add the scallions and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes, until the shrimp begin to brown. Stir in the chicken broth, lemon juice, and hot sauce, and continue to cook 2 more minutes, stirring to loosen brown bits from skillet.

Divide the grits into 4 large, shallow bowls, ladle the shrimp mixture over the grits, and top each with crumbled bacon. Serve with lemon wedges.