Southern Shrimp & Grits

Saturday is Southern Recipe day. I choose Tyler's Ultimate Shrimp & Grits.
We all know he's from the South and his reviews are off the charts on this recipe.

Since I do not have stone ground grits I will use stone ground white polenta.
One good thing about leftover polenta, spoon it into a small baking dish, let it cool, cut it into squares, wrap each in Saran Wrap. You then can freeze them and grill it off when I need it.
Or I can serve them warm with maple syrup for breakfast or poach and egg on top. After all, it's just grits.

Corn of any kind is good for Diabetics and polenta, bulgur and quinoa are my go to grains when I need a side.

I am not making Tyler's recipe exactly as written, I want to marinade the shrimp in olive oil, lemon juice and garlic before I cook them.

I could not have picked a better day to make this recipe, it is cold and rainy. Hot polenta warms up the belly real well.

If you have never eaten polenta or grits, I suggest you make them SOON.

The Nudge was floored by this recipe and I have made polenta for him many times.

I should have laid down the sauce on top of the grits and then placed the shrimp. You can not see but we each had 5 Jumbo Fresh Shrimp. It was EXCELLENT!!!!

Shrimp and Grits
adapted from Food Network
serves 6-8
Ingredients
Grits:
* 2 cups chicken stock
* 1 cup stone-ground white cornmeal
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Shrimp:
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 medium white onion, minced
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1 pound spicy sausage, cut in chunks
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 cups chicken stock
* 1 bay leaf
* 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
* 1 green onion, white and green part, chopped

Directions
To make the grits, place a 3-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal. When the grits begin to bubble, turn the heat down to medium low and simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Allow to cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from heat and stir in the cream and butter, season with salt and pepper.

To make the shrimp, place a deep skillet over medium heat and coat with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic; saute for 2 minutes to soften. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until there is a fair amount of fat in the pan and the sausage is brown. Sprinkle in the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to create a roux. Slowly pour in the chicken stock and continue to stir to avoid lumps. Toss in the bay leaf. When the liquid comes to a simmer, add the shrimp. Poach the shrimp in the stock for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are firm and pink and the gravy is smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper; stir in the parsley and green onion. Spoon the grits into a serving bowl. Add the shrimp mixture and mix well. Serve immediately.