shrimp and grits?

Hi folks,
The nice weather has got me thinking of Charleston and hankering for sweet tea and good southern cooking. Any recommendations for shrimp and grits?

Thanks,
ed

I'm fond of the shrimp and cheese grits at Heaven on Seven on Wabash. It's my favorite lunch there.

Suzy

Wishbone does this sometimes. When available,it can be pretty good. Now if we could just find a good she crab soup!

I've had the she crab soup at Barbara Jean's and I think it's one of the top 2 or 3 bowls of soup I have ever eaten in my life.

The rest of the food was very good as well but that soup....wow.


Barbara Jeans
15 South Roscoe Boulevard
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082
(904) 280-7522

Octarine wrote:I've had the she crab soup at Barbara Jean's and I think it's one of the top 2 or 3 bowls of soup I have ever eaten in my life.

The rest of the food was very good as well but that soup....wow.


Barbara Jeans
15 South Roscoe Boulevard
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082
(904) 280-7522

A bit of a drive from Chicagoland, but worth it I'm sure.

I know that Heaven on Seven has received mixed reviews, but I second the recommendation for its shrimp and grits. It's one of my "go to" items there. Not sure of many other places in the area that do shrimp and grits...I'd love to hear of any.

I've made the drive twice

Ok maybe not just for the soup but I cannot say it did not figure highly in my plans!

I've not found a shrimp and grits plate at a restaurant that has pleased me. I find it much easier just to make it at home, using a rough approximation of a recipe from a friend.

Basically, make cheese grits--DON'T use instant grits whatever you do--this is the mistake most restaurants make. Instant grits are too thin and not corn-y enough for my tastes. I usually use part shredded cheddar and a touch of velveeta for melty-ness with cream, salt and pepper and a few chopped scallions for good measure. Copious butter.

Then, saute the biggest wild shrimp you can find in 1/2 olive oil 1/2 butter with some chopped shallot and as much garlic as you can handle. Pinch of cayenne, pinch of paprika for color more than anything. Salt. Touch of black pepper. Splash of your favorite hot sauce, splash of white wine if your inclined, splash of cream as well.

Throw the shrimp over the grits and bob, as they say, is your uncle.

I'm sure there's a much more accurate and measurement friendly recipe out there on the interweb--if you need a more precise recipe PM me and I can dig up the tattered notecard with the original recipe from my friend.

If you can't find it, you can always make it. Although, one may be led to believe that Shrimp and Grits is a timeless southern classic, it actually originated at the Old Post Office Restaurant on Edisto Island, just outside of Charleston, in the mid 80s. It became such a teriffic signature dish there, that Chefs all over Charleston began to emulate it on their own menus, making it the signature dish by which lowcountry cooking is now known.

This is a recipe for grits, directly from the owner of the Old Post Office, that will make even the most hardened hater of grits, swoon with delight. The shrimp preparation is much more simple than the smothered and suced versions that you find in many restaurants. At the OPO, these are served with fresh butter beans.

Grits

1 Cup Stone Ground Whole Grain Grits
1Cup Heavy Cream
1 Cup Whole Milk
1 Cup Melted Butter
1 TSP Salt
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Grated Mild Cheddar Cheese

Bring the Cream, Milk, Water, Salt and Butter to a gentle boil. Add the Grits stirring Rapidly to incorporate them. Continue to stir for 20 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove the cooked grits to a double boiler or slow cooker and let bthem cook for one to eight hours. The longer they cook, the softer and richer they will become. If the mixture becomes thick during the long cooking process, stir in a little milk.

Note: If I can find a good veal stock, I prefer top substitute a cup of ot foer the water and salt.

Shrimp

2 lbs medium shrimp peeled and deveined with the tails left on. 1/2 stick salted butter, garlic, black pepper.

In a large sautee pan, sautee the garlic in butter being careful not t brun the garlic. Ad the fresh shrimp, sautee until pink and cooked through. Seaon with black pepper to taste.

The OPO serves this wiil under a rich, but easy to make, mousseline sauce:

4 egg yolks
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 lb hot melted butter
dash of cayenne
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp heavy cream

Blend the eggs and lemon juice in a blender on high speed. Slowly add the hot melted butter. b Add the salt and cayenne blending until incorporated. Continue to blend adding the cream.

Although (sadly) I have never been to Charleston, and cannot say that I know an authentic shrimp and grits from an ersatz version, I do recall being pleased with the shrimp and grits appetizer at Wishbone. Just a thought in case it is nearby for you.

This thread prompted me to check out Heaven on Seven's shrimp and grits for breakfast this morning. I would've taken pics, but my camera seems to have misplaced its memory stick.

The shrimp and grits aren't what I'd call authentic. The grits were good, though. They're toothsome and yellow (an essential). But they serve it with fried shrimp (and a sprinkling of green onion and sauteed mushroom), which means you don't get any of the shrimp pan gravy goodness that makes this dish spectacular. It was a fine dish, but not good enough to tempt me into going back.

Someone mentioned below that Wishbone sometimes does this; I was there this morning, and shrimp & grits was on the regular breakfast menu. None of us ordered them, but everything else we had was good, so I can't imagine this dish wouldn't be also.

Best thing about making grits/polenta at dinner, pan fried grits/polenta & eggs for breakfast. #homecooking

Assuming you get some authentic stone ground grits, I love this recipe. I have posted a picture of the finished dish somewhere on LTH

https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/10/how ... grits.html

Recently did this version, no tomato / dried ancho/guajillo, bacon, trinity, shiitake, and frozen gulf 31-40 count, which is my favorite size for shrimp and grits.

G Wiv & AlekH - How can I tell you which one of you did it better unless I taste both. A small bowl of each would give me an idea. Time/place?

BR wrote:G Wiv & AlekH - How can I tell you which one of you did it better unless I taste both. A small bowl of each would give me an idea. Time/place?

BR, I cede to AlekH, much as I like shrimp & grits, polenta & meat sauce etc its all about the crispy pan fried w/∞ the next day for me.

mailsf wrote:Someone mentioned below that Wishbone sometimes does this; I was there this morning, and shrimp & grits was on the regular breakfast menu. None of us ordered them, but everything else we had was good, so I can't imagine this dish wouldn't be also.

I recently went to the Wishbone restaurant, 161 N Jefferson. Menu lists both shrimp & grits as well as a Cajun version of shrimp & grits, I opted for the latter. Fantastic dish!!

Arrived at 8:30am on a Saturday morning, plenty of tables open as well as nearby parking on the street.

Wishbone
161 N Jefferson
Chicago, IL
https://www.wishbonechicago.com/
-

Little Goat does a good version.

About a year ago in the Best Thing You’ve Eaten Lately thread I wrote:

At Peaches restaurant today had the Shrimp and Cheese grits, shrimp with a garlic cream sauce, pork bacon, mushrooms, scallions. Served with garlic Texas toast. The cream really makes it. 10 minutes later I started craving it walking out to my car and have not stopped.

Peaches Restaurant
4652 S. King Drive

Went to The Dearborn for brunch today prior to seeing "Come from Away". Tried The Dearborn's version of shrimp and grits. Shrimp were cooked perfectly but the entire dish was lacking any flavor, bland bland.

The Avocado BLT sandwich with fried egg was one of the best sandwiches I've had this year

Marisol at the MCA has a stellar S&G. added seeds in grits provide a nice textural twist. Flavors overall are spot-on. Also the best lox/bagel plate in Chicago.