NOLA’s Shrimp and Smoked Cheddar Grits

Originating in South Carolina, this is a simple dish created by local fisherman that was traditionally eaten for breakfast. The secret here is fresh wild-caught shrimp, good quality stone ground grits and a little bacon for flavouring. At the restaurant we cook the grits in milk and then add grated smoked cheddar. We finish them with smoked mushrooms, grilled green onions and a drizzle of rich BBQ sauce made with local Abita beer. Today Shrimp and Grits is a true Southern classic…this dish continues to be hugely popular at my restaurant NOLA in the French Quarter.

Ingredients

2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 1/2 teaspoons Emeril’s Creole Seasoning, recipe follows

3/4 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1 recipe Smoked Cheddar Grits, recipe follows

1 recipe Citrus Buerre Blanc, recipe follows

1 recipe Abita BBQ Glaze, recipe follows

1 recipe Smoked Cremini Mushrooms and Rendered Bacon, recipe follows

1 recipe Grilled Green Onions, recipe follows

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large bowl, combine the shrimp with the Creole Seasoning and salt and toss to blend. Set aside as you prepare the skillet. Place a large, 14-inch skillet over high heat and add the olive oil and heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the pan. Swirl to melt, then add the shrimp to the pan in one even layer. Sear the shrimp until well caramelized on the first side, about 1 minute. Turn the shrimp over and add the smoked mushrooms, bacon and Abita BBQ Glaze to the pan. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are well coated with the sauce and just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining butter to the pan and swirl until melted into the sauce.

To serve, divide the grits between 8 entrée-sized shallow bowls. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of the Citrus Beurre Blanc around the edge of the grits near the rim of the bowl. Divide the shrimp, mushrooms, bacon and sauce evenly between the bowls, and place a grilled green onion on top of the grits in a circle. Serve immediately.

Emeril’s Creole Seasoning

Ingredients

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Smoked Cheddar Grits

Ingredients

6 cups water

Salt, to taste

1 1/2 cups quick cooking or old-• fashioned grits (not instant!)

1 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream

4 tablespoons butter

6 ounces grated smoked white cheddar cheese

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large, heavy saucepan bring the water to a boil. Add a generous teaspoon of salt and the grits and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. When grits thicken, add the milk, cream and butter and return to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover the sauce pan and cook for 45 minutes to one hour, until grits are very tender, smooth, and creamy-thick. Add the cheddar, season with black pepper, and stir until cheese is melted. Serve hot.

Citrus Beurre Blanc

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon  juice

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots

1 2-inch strip orange zest

1 2-inch strip lemon zest

1 2-inch strip lime zest

1 garlic clove, smashed

1/2 bay leaf

1 sprig of thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cubed

INSTRUCTIONS

Place all the ingredients except the heavy cream and butter in a 1-quart saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce until the liquid is nearly evaporated, 12 to 14 minutes. Add the heavy cream to the pan and reduce by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and reduce the temperature to medium low. Add a few cubes of the butter to the pan and use a whisk to stir constantly until the butter is melted. Return to the heat and add a few more pieces. Continue to place the pan on and off the heat, adding a few cubes of butter to the pan and whisking until all the butter is used. Remove the sauce from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Keep warm until ready to serve – do not allow the sauce to boil or it will separate.

Abita BBQ Glaze

Ingredients

1 cup ketchup

1 cup Abita amber beer

6 tablespoons packed light brown  sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

- Makes 1 1/4 cups

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the ketchup, beer, brown sugar and crushed red pepper in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and continue to cook at a steady simmer until the sauce is translucent and reduces to a consistency thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside. You should have about 1 1/4 cups of glaze.

Smoked Cremini Mushrooms and Rendered Bacon

Ingredients

3/4 pound cremini mushrooms,  halved, or quartered if large

11/2 teaspoons Emeril’s Creole  Seasoning

4 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 pound bacon, diced

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium bowl, combine the mushrooms, Creole Seasoning and olive oil. Toss to combine and place on the rack of a stovetop smoker. Prepare the smoker over medium-high heat using applewood smoking dust, or the smoke chips of your choice. When the smoker begins to smoke, close the lid. Smoke the mushrooms until cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the smoker and set aside until ready to use.

While the mushrooms smoke, place the bacon in a 10-inch sauté pan over medium-low heat and render the fat until it is just beginning to get crispy, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan using a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towels to drain. Set aside until ready to use.

Grilled Green Onions

Ingredients

8 green onions, root end and tips trimmed

4 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the green onions with the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Place the green onions on the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure even browning. Remove the green onions from the heat and set aside as you prepare the rest of the dish.