JERK SHRIMP WITH NASSAU GRITS

By TPMay

Ingredients

• 2 pounds large shrimp (cleaned & deveined, tails-on)
• 3 tablespoons Jerk Rub (see below)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• MANGO GREEN TOMATO SALAD
• 1 red pepper (seeded and diced)
• 1 green pepper (seeded and diced)
• 1 red onion (chopped)
• 1 celery stick (diced)
• 1 green tomato (diced)
• 1 firm mango (diced)
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• SOUR CREAM GREEN ONION SAUCE
• 4 tablespoons sour cream
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon creamed horseradish
• 1/4 cup green onion (minced)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• NASSAU GRITS
• 1/4 pound country ham (or prosciutto, thinly sliced)
• 1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped)
• 1 green bell pepper (cored, seeded, and finely chopped)
• 1 stalk celery (chopped)
• 2 large green tomatoes (chopped with their juices)
• 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
• 1 jalapeno or Scotch bonnet pepper (seeded and chopped)
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup old-fashioned stone-ground white grits
• 1 cup white cheddar cheese (grated, plus more to serve)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• JERK RUB
• 6 bay leaves
• 8 minced Scotch Bonnet peppers, Caribbean Store
• 30 scallions
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup garlic cloves
• 1 5- inch piece peeled fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black peppercorns
• 1/2 tablespoon coarse Himalayan salt
• 1 cup thyme leaves finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp

Preparation

Step 1

For the Jerk Shrimp: In a large bowl, add shrimp, Jerk seasoning and olive oil and toss to evenly coat. Cover and refrigerator for 1 hour.
Place a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute the shrimp until pink, about 6 to 7 minutes.
For the Mango Green Tomato Salad: In a large bowl, combine the red pepper, green pepper, sweet onion, celery, green tomato, mango. In a separate medium bowl, whisk to combine the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Dress the salad with the vinaigrette and toss to evenly coat.
For the Sour Cream Green Onion Sauce: In a medium bowl, add sour cream, mayonnaise, creamed horseradish, green onion, lemon juice and whisk to combine.
For the Nassau Grits: Fry the ham in a large skillet over medium heat, turning once, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer the ham leaving the drippings in the skillet, to a paper towel???lined plate to let drain and cool. Crumble the ham into small pieces and set aside.
Reserve about 3 tablespoons of the ham drippings in the skillet and discard the rest. Reheat the skillet over medium heat, add the onions, celery and the peppers, and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ham and cook, stirring, until the peppers are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes (with their juice) along with the garlic and chilies. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the moisture has evaporated, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring 2 cups water and 1 cup milk to simmer in a medium pot. Add grits and salt to taste, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, thick, and creamy, about 30 minutes. Stir in the ham???tomato mixture and cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve soft grits with salad, Jerk shrmp and sauce.
For Jerk Rub: Chop and combine scallion, ginger, garlic, bay leaves, and peppers. Mash these into a fine paste. Add ground spices, stir in chopped thyme, add tamarind pulp and mix. Let sit for a few hours.