I truly enjoy getting my hands on a new cookbook; however, I have purchased my fair share of ones that didn’t necessarily deliver. I am a hard sell. I love nothing more than pouring over a well-written (and photographed!) cook book – cover to cover along side a great bottle of vino. A good cook book (and I am not talking about the classics that are must-reads without any fluff) needs 3 out of the 4 following ingredients: (1) well-organized, (2) contain two types of recipes: accessible week-night meals and recipes that keep you in the kitchen all Sunday afternoon, (3) great photography, and (4) stories that give you a look behind the recipe. I will gladly admit it. I am a cook book snob.
I recently got my hands on John Currence’s Pickles, Pigs, and Whiskey: Recipes from my three favorite food groups and then some. It is quickly becoming a new favorite of mine. The recipes are amazing and accessible. The organization is perfectly playful. Currence’s southern roots shine behind the grit of a New Orleans native. It is a keeper.
The first dish I cooked was his NOLA-style Barbecued Shrimp with Cheese Grits. My husband, Mat, and I spent a long weekend in New Orleans in May, and we had the famous barbecue shrimp at Mr. B’s. It was wonderful. So, as you can imagine, I was apprehensive about trying this recipe. Oh, my. It did not disappoint.
This was not weeknight fare for a working mom, but I took my time over the weekend to prepare this robust and memorable dish. I modified it a bit, but the bacon fat, veal stock, and butter are not to be replaced.
Recipe: NOLA-style Barbecued Shrimp with Cheese Grits (found here)
20 head-on unpeeled shrimp
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons pure olive oil
1 tablespoon bacon fat
2 shallots, sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 lemon sliced (leave rind on)
10 oz Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 dried bay leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup veal stock
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions
To cook the shrimp: remove the shrimp heads and peel the shrimp, leaving the tails attached. Reserve the shells. Cut a groove down the spine of the shrimp to slightly butterfly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and set aside.
Heat the olive oil and the bacon fat in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells and heads; stir until they turn pink. Add the shallots and garlic; saute until they are fragrant and translucent. Stir in the black peppercorns, lemon, Worcestershire Sauce, rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, wine, and veal stock. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and reduce by half, about 12 – 15 minutes. Strain the reduced stock and reserve.
In a large pan over medium heat, heat 3 tablespoons of butter until melted. Add the shrimp. Add the reserved shrimp stock to the pan. Bring to a simmer, and turn the shrimp once when they start to turn pink. Remove the shrimp. Simmer the sauce and reduce until it is thick and slightly syrupy. Swirl in the crime and combine completely. Whisk in the cold butter and combine completely. Fold in the parsley.
Serve on top of creamy cheese grits. Recipe below.
Recipe: Cheese Grits
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups whole milk
1 cup stone0ground grits (not quick or instant)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup cream cheese
Directions
In a medium saucepan, bring the stock and milk to boil over medium heat. Whisk in the grits and lower the heat slightly. Continue whisking for about 10 – 12 minutes until grits are tender. Make sure you taste test here. Stir in butter, garlic, salt, pepper, and cheese. Serve warm.
Enjoy!
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