Shrimp and Grits

4 (8) servings

4 (8) cups water
Salt and pepper
1 (2) cup stone-ground grits
3 (6) tablespoons butter
2 (4) cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 (2) pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 (12) slices bacon, chopped (or Cajun sausage, ham, leftover pork belly, other pork product)
4 (8) teaspoons lemon juice (1 (2) lemons) (or rice vinegar)
2 (4) tablespoons chopped parsley
1 (2) cup thinly sliced scallions (could use onion)
1 (2) large clove garlic, minced
Anisette liqueur to deglaze pan

 

Bring water to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Add grits and cook until water is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and cheese.

Brine shrimp (at least 15 minutes in brine. Brine is for every quart of water 3 Tablespoons salt, 2 Tablespoons honey) and pat dry. Fry the bacon or sausage in a large skillet until browned; drain well. In grease, add shrimp. Cook until shrimp turn pink. Add lemon juice (rice vinegar), chopped bacon, parsley, scallions and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes. Deglaze pan with Anisette.

 

Spoon grits into a serving bowl. Add shrimp mixture and mix well. Serve immediately.

Pot Roast

 















Some of the ingredients ready!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mirepoix

2 parts onion diced
1 part carrot diced
1 part celery diced

Chuck-eye roast, tied

Garlic, minced
Chicken stock
Beef stock
Fresh herbs (aromatics: parsley, thyme, rosemary, whatever you like)

Root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, parsnips, all cut into about 1-1 ½ inch chunks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 300.

Heat pan and oil.

Dry meat. Salt and pepper all over.

Sear meat on all sides over medium heat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then set aside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add mirepoix to pot, add salt and cook 5 – 7 minutes. Add as much garlic as you like and cook until aromatic, about 30 to 60 seconds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deglaze pot with a wee bit of chicken stock. Then place meat into pot.

 

Add 50/50 chicken stock/beef stock so that liquid level is about half way up the meat. Add aromatics and bring to simmer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cover and place into oven. Turn meat every 30 minutes.

After three hours, add vegetables.

After four hours, out of the oven.

Remove meat to a plate, cover with foil and let rest.

Remove vegetables to serving plate.

Strain liquid and return to pot. Boil down to make sauce. Add some red wine if you would like.

Slice meat into about ½ inch thick slices and arrange on serving plate with vegetables. Pour some of the sauce on top and the rest of the sauce in a serving dish.

You can add some chopped parsley and tomatoes for color.

Pesto

For Basil Pesto

 

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

1/3 cup mixed pine nuts, walnuts, cashews

2/3 cup olive oil

½ cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

For Artichoke Pesto

 

Artichoke hearts (canned or vacuumed packed)

Garlic

Cashews

Olive oil

Freshly grated Pecorino cheese

Salt and white pepper to taste

Place the basil (or artichokes) along with the garlic and nuts into the food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.

Turn the processor on and slowly add the olive oil.

Here's the artichoke pesto ready for the oil.  

Open the processor, add the cheese, close and pulse to blend.

Open processor, add salt and pepper, close and pulse to blend.

BCBCPC (Bacon Caramel Bourbon Chili Popcorn)

 This is some fantastic stuff!

5 quarts of popped popcorn – best to use an air popper, this is about ¾ cup of unpopped corn

2 cups unsalted roasted cashews

1 lb bacon – cut in about ¼ inch squares and browned, see picture below

1 cup butter

2 cups brown sugar

½ cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup bourbon

Preheat oven to 250.

Melt butter over medium heat.

Mix in brown sugar, syrup, salt, cayenne, cream of tartar and stir until boiling begins.

Lower heat a wee bit, keep stirring until it reaches 250.

Remove from heat. Add baking soda and bourbon.

Stir in bacon.

Butter a large mixing bowl.

Add popcorn and cashews to bowl.

Fold caramel into mixture.

Spread onto buttered cookie sheets.

Place in preheated oven for 30 to 60 minutes, mixing every 10 to 15 minutes, until dry.

When done, cool and enjoy!

Refrigerate any leftovers. (ha!)

Spaetzle

 

 Spaetzle is a German/Austrian style dumpling that is then fried. It is a great side for braised meats. The above is shown with caramelized onions. Could also top with chopped, fresh parsley.

 This makes 4-6 servings

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup plus a Tablespoon milk (must have some fat content)

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

pinch ground white pepper

butter

chopped fresh parsley (or use a bunch of caramelized onions)

Mix together flour, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs well.

Add egg alternately with the milk to the dry ingredients.

Mix until smooth.

 

Want it to be thick but not a dough. Should be a thick batter, Let rest 15 minutes. If too thin, sprinkle flour on top and fold in.

Bring pot of water to a boil and add salt.

Press mixture through spaetzle maker, or a large holed sieve or metal grater, or through a ricer set at medium or large, directly into the pot of salted water.Here's a photo of the batter going into a ricer. I do have a spaetzle maker, however, wanted to show how this works.

Cook 6 to 8 minutes.

Drain well. Want to remove as much moisture as possible before the next step as you want the spaetzle to brown not steam.

Heat sauté pan and get butter to start foaming

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Sauté cooked spaetzle until golden.

Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley or caramelized onions on top, and serve.