Shrimp n Grits

Not too sure if I submitted a recipe for this before......but if I did and you didn't see it..Well, here is a different one...One that comes straight from Memphis, Tennessee...

Shrimp and grits, Shrimp and grits! You might think you know what this is supposed to taste like, but with the addition of some fried green tomatoes, an array of seasonings, and wine, it breathes new life into this Southern dish, worthy of being passed on to the next generation —Now mind you...I can't eat this...I'm allergic to all seafood, but I hope that you all can fix this and enjoy this...It looks delicious!

  SHRIMP INGREDIENTS:

1/2 pound peeled and cleaned wild-caught American shrimp

2 cups cooked black-eyed peas

3 teaspoons blackening seasoning

1/2 cup scallions cut on a bias

2 ounces Benton ham

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 teaspoon chopped shallots

1 stick butter

2 cups white wine


GRITS INGREDIENTS:
2 cups stone-ground grits

1 quart water

1 quart half-and-half

Salt and pepper to taste

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES INGREDIENTS:

1 medium-size green tomato, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 cups yellow cornmeal
2 cups flour
3 eggs
2 teaspoons water
3 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

DIRECTIONS:

Combine water and half-and-half with a generous amount of salt and pepper in a medium-size sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Once liquid comes to a boil, stir in grits and reduce heat to medium. Stir frequently until grits become tender, about 20 minutes. Check seasoning and reserve in a warm area.

Set up three small pans, one containing flour that's been seasoned with a little salt and pepper, one with eggs and water whisked together, and one with Old Bay and cornmeal mix.

Dip slices of tomatoes in flour, then egg, then cornmeal to evenly coat both sides of tomato. Do this one at a time using one hand for wet and one hand for dry. Once tomatoes are breaded, fry them in small batches in 350-degree peanut oil or canola oil, until golden brown.

In a mixing bowl, combine shrimp and blackening seasoning. In a large sauté pan, heat just enough oil to coat the bottom of pan. Just before oil begins to smoke, add shrimp and lightly toss to evenly coat them in oil and so the seasoning doesn’t start to burn. Then add garlic, shallots and ham, sautéing those until the garlic and shallots start to become translucent and the ham starts to crisp. Add black-eyed peas and white wine. Let wine reduce by half, then stir in butter; this will create your sauce for the dish. When the shrimp are pink and firm, you are ready to serve.

Put a large scoop of grits in the middle of a bowl. Top with shrimp and black-eyed pea mix with about 2 teaspoons sauce. Garnish with sliced scallions and two fried green tomatoes.


Serve in the morning with a nice Mimosa:

Enjoy........

(For my good friend, Chris (1964-2010)  , you would've loved this....Rest In Peace!