Uptown Shrimp and Grits

By Chef_Frytz

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic
• Dried red-pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
• 12 ounces large shrimp (about two dozen)
• 2-ounce shot of strong espresso
• Hot water
• 1 teaspoon (or to taste) of the sauce from a can or jar of chipotles en adobo and just a bit of finely minced chipotle pepper from the same can.
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2/3 cup (180g) white corn grits
• 3 cups water (or a little less)
• 1/4 teaspoon (4g) salt
• 2 oz. (60g) heavy cream
• 2 oz mild goat cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper

Details

Adapted from wineloverspage.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Prep the shrimp. Peel the garlic and mince it fine. Put the minced garlic and dried red-pepper flakes to taste in a saute pan with the olive oil and cook over high heat until the garlic is turning translucent but not brown. Put in the shrimp in their shells and cook, very briefly, just until the shells turn pink. Take out the shrimp and wait until they're cool enough to handle; then peel them and set them aside. Reserve the saute pan with any oil and garlic that remain.

2. Make the chipotle red eye gravy. Pull an espresso shot (or bring one home from your local coffee shop), and mix it with an equal amount of hot water. Stir in a little adobo sauce from a can of Mexican chipotles en adobo, and mince a very small amount of one of the peppers from the can. Taste as you go; I find that this stuff varies widely in heat from can to can, but some of them can blow the top of your head off. Set aside, reserving the cornstarch dissolved in a little water to use for thickening later.

3. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan and stir in the dry grits, pouring them in a thin stream and stirring constantly so they won't form lumps. Cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until they start to thicken a little. Then reduce heat to medium low and cook uncovered, stirring now and then to ensure that they don't stick. After about 25 minutes, reduce heat to very low, cover the pan, and continue cooking until the grits are done. Then stir in salt to taste. Avoid "instant" grits, which lack the flavor and texture of the real thing, cost more and don't really save much time or effort. If you live in a region where they are available or seek them out by mail-order, stone-ground artisanal grits are well worth the extra price.

4. From this point, it's all downhill. When the grits are nearly done, return the saute pan with the remaining olive oil and garlic and shrimp drippings to medium heat; add a little olive oil if necessary, and when it's hot, toss the shrimp back in for a quick reheat and finish-cooking. Stir in the chipotle-and-adobo-spiced espresso and water, and stir in the cornstarch-water mix over low heat, using just enough to thicken.

5. Stir the heavy cream and mild goat cheese into the hot grits, seasoning to taste with freshly ground black pepper. Put the grits in a serving bowl, pour the shrimp and chipotle-espresso sauce over, and serve.
MATCHING WINE: A crisp, seafood-friendly white with good acidity is called for here; it was brilliant with the Pastou 2006 "La Côte de Sury" Sancerre featured in yesterday's 30 Second Wine Advisor. I wouldn't rule it out with a lighter-style acidic red ... think Pinot Noir.