Waves, and Shrimp and Grits worth Making Twice

Last summer, a wise woman shared with me that grief is like standing on the shoreline; sometimes the water ripples and tickles your toes, sometimes a surprise wave hits and gets you all wet, and sometimes a surge hits you so hard that it knocks you over.  I think that life acts the same way; there are waves of emotion, but also waves of busyness, of good relationships, of daily enjoyment, and so much more.  

Last weekend was a wave of good fellowship with friends, but it also coincided with a wave of busyness this week.  And while we delight in enriched friendships and a challenging week of classes, sometimes those waves mean that our marriage receives very little attention. 

Love and Joy in Waves: Summer 2010 

My husband and I enjoyed some time investing in our own marriage this weekend.  On Friday night, we watched The King's Speech at a little community theater.  As we walked the Main Street of the little town after the movie, we enjoyed the rippling wave of the sweet, deepening friendship that will grow for the rest of our lives.  On Saturday,  in between studying and chores, we ran errands together and again enjoyed good conversation and sweet fellowship.  And of course, we enjoyed good food.  

This Shrimp and Grits recipe may just be my favorite so far.  It is easy, delicious, and perfect for both guests and date night.  It is excellent with collard greens and cornbread.  

Louisiana Shrimp and Andouille over Grits

Adapted from John Besh's My Louisiana Kitchen

For the Grits:

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup stone ground grits

1/2 cup goat cheese 

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup half & half

For the Shrimp:

2 pounds medium wild shrimp

1 tablespoon cajun seasoning (I use a mix of Tony Cachere's and Old Bay)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/3 cup andouille or spicy smoked sausage, diced (I use Conecuh Sausage)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 shallot, minced

2 roasted red peppers from a jar, drained and diced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

15 oz diced tomatoes (no salt added)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

chopped parsley, for garnish

For the grits: 

In a medium pot, combine the water and salt.  Bring to a boil.  Whisk in the grits, and reduce the heat to low.  Cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often.  

Add the butter and cheese to the grits, stirring until the cheese is melted.  Stir in the half and half, cover and remove from heat.  Keep warm until serving.  

For the shrimp:

Combine the shrimp and spices in a small bowl.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp become opaque, but are not quite done.  Remove the shrimp to a bowl as they become opaque.  

In the same skillet, add the sausage, garlic, shallot, red peppers and thyme.  Cook for about five minutes.  Add the vegetable broth and butter, and cook for six minutes.  Add the shrimp and cook for three minutes.  Stir in the lemon juice, tomatoes, and chives.  Cook until warmed through, and remove from heat.  

Serve the shrimp and sauce atop the grits in a bowl, and sprinkle with chopped parsley.  

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Dreaming of NOLA and a Mardi Gras Menu

Last summer, we celebrated our five-year anniversary wandering the streets of New Orleans.  It was my first trip to the Crescent City, and it was completely enchanting.  The beautiful streets, the art, the music, and the food was all everyone said it would be, and more.  I do hope we are able to visit again.  

If you are like me, and will not be making it to New Orleans or Mobile for Mardi Gras, we can at least dream, and cook, like we are!  Here are my suggestions for a delicious Fat Tuesday feast.  

Mardi Gras Feast:

Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

Mixed Green Salad with Pecans, Goat Cheese and Fruit

Cornbread

Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

Some other main dish suggestions are:

Red Beans and Rice

Creole Shrimp and Grits

Roasted Shrimp Po'Boys

Crawfish Etouffee (Stay Tuned)

Louisiana Shrimp and Andouille over Grits

Enjoy, and Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler!

Les Bons Temps for Roasted Shrimp Po'Boys

From mid-January to late February (or, in this year's case, early March), the celebration and anticipation of Mardi Gras leaves me craving the flavors of the South's coast and New Orleans (never mind that I have never actually been to NOLA, or even Mobile, during Mardi Gras).  It just seems right to eat Gumbo, Etouffee, Shrimp Creole or Bread Pudding during those few weeks.  It fits the weather outside, the duldrums of winter are losing their grip, and that deserves a celebratory, albeit comfortable meal.


I was all prepared to share my new favorite Shrimp and Grits, but we gobbled this Cajun-spice laden dish up before I had a daylight hour to photograph it (and while this delicious meal traditionally belongs to Charleston and the Lowcountry rather than NOLA and the Gulf coast, the recipe is from John Besh's My New Orleans and is his Cajun take on the Lowcountry favorite).  


In lieu of another Shrimp and Grits recipe, I have another delicious Cajun offering: Roasted Shrimp Po'Boys, which we shared with some friends who were in town last weekend.  I will say, I barely got a picture of this sandwich, and the one I took isn't all that enticing.  You'll just have to take my word for it; this sandwich is a flavorful taste of NOLA!  

Roasted Shrimp Po'Boys

Inspired by CBS News
Remoulade Sauce adapted from Cooking Light

1/4 cup reduced fat mayonnaise

1 tablespoon sweet (Vidalia) onion, minced

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish

2 teaspoons whole grain mustard

1 teaspoon capers

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
2 12-inch soft French bread loaves
1 pound large wild shrimp, peeled
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (such as Tony Cachere's)
dash cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons cornmeal
3 tablespoons panko
1 tomato, sliced
green leaf lettuce 


Preheat oven to 375.  In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, onion, parsley, relish, mustard, capers and hot sauce, stirring to combine.  Set remoulade sauce aside.  Slice the French bread loaves in half lengthwise.  Place on a baking sheet.  


In a small bowl, combine the Cajun seasoning, cayenne, cornmeal and panko.  Add the shrimp and toss to coat.  Spread the shrimp in a single layer in a roasting pan lined with parchment paper.  


Place both the bread and the shrimp in the oven.  Roast for five minutes, then remove the bread and turn the broiler on high.  Broil the shrimp for three more minutes.  


While the shrimp are finishing in the broiler, spread the remoulade sauce on both halves of the bread.  Divide the shrimp between the two loaves, then top with lettuce and tomato.  Cut each loaf in half to make four sandwiches.  


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A Lenten Temptation

Being a student of the French language and culture, and growing up mere hours from Mobile and New Orleans, I have always been involved in some sort of celebration of Mardi Gras, the Tuesday before the Lenten season begins.  I enjoyed a special lunch with "Le Cercle Français" (French Club) in a Purple, Gold and Green bedecked classroom in high school; more recently I have celebrated with a special Cajun dinner, home-made King Cake, and Mardi Gras decor (sans the crepe paper streamers) at home in more recent years. 

Although the majority of our decorations are in storage, I couldn't resist having a Mardi Gras celebration at our apartment this year.  I have to admit, Tuesday was also my birthday, so there was a bit of added festivity to the night.  It was interesting to see how few people in our circle of friends had ever celebrated the day (Mardi Gras, that is).  Up here there is a tradition of celebrating "Shrove Tuesday" by eating a doughnut-like pastry called fasnacht, but even so, many of my friends who grew up locally were not acquainted with the tradition of eating rich foods before the forty days of Lenten fasting leading to Easter. 

I must admit, the food was fabulous.  Leftovers were scarce, but we have managed to make them last a couple of days (at least long enough to take some post-party photos).  We enjoyed Seafood and Andouille Gumbo (I substituted a pound of our favorite local sausage which we brought back from Alabama and squirreled away in the freezer), green salad with strawberries, cranberries, blue cheese and honey glazed pecans (a wonderful Christmas gift), and la pièce de résistance, bread pudding. 

I have wanted to make this bread pudding ever since I came across the recipe on Simply Recipes.  The recipe originally came from the Bon Ton Cafe in New Orleans.  After a little research, all of the other Bon Ton Cafe recipes use considerably less bourbon in the sauce, so I went with the lesser amount of bourbon, and it was perfect.  Because we were entertaining more than a few people, I doubled the recipe (which I am so glad I did!).  As guests began to leave, a certain husband began to package up leftovers to send away, and was quickly stopped by his selfish wife who wanted to keep them all for herself!  I have been enjoying this bread pudding every night since then.  I apologize in advance if you have given up sweets for Lent. 

Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

For the Bourbon Sauce:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup bourbon (I use the leftover bourbon from the soaked raisins)


For the Bread Pudding:
 
6-7 cups of day old french bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 quart milk
3 eggs
2 cups of sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 cup of raisins, soaked overnight in 1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter

For the bourbon sauce:

Whisk together the butter, sugar, and egg in a heat-proof bowl.  Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water.  Cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until thick.  Remove from heat.  Stir occasionally as the mixture cools.  When cool, whisk in the bourbon.  Before serving, stir the sauce well.  It should be smooth and thick.  Serve warm.

For the pudding:

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a large bowl, pour the milk over the bread cubes.  Using the back of a spoon, push down the cubes so that they are soaked with the milk.  In a separate bowl, beat the eggs.  Stir in the sugar and vanilla until well combined.  Carefully stir the egg and sugar mixture into the bread mixture.  Drain the bourbon from the raisins, and carefully stir them into the bread mixture. 

Place the butter in a 9 x 13 baking dish, and put the dish in the preheated oven.  When the butter is melted, carefully tilt the dish so that the butter coats the inside.  Pour the bread mixture in the dish.  Bake for 40-50 minutes, until the pudding pulls away from the side of the baking dish. 

Cut the pudding into squares, and serve with the warm bourbon sauce.