We went up to a restaurant called Plowshares in Mentone Friday night with a group of friends. It was pretty decent. Several friends had the shrimp and grits and like a lot of places they basically served some shrimp, sausage, grits, onions and bell peppers over a bowl of creamy grits. Well the whole thing was so soupy that they all had to ask for a spoon to eat it.

I don't make mine that way. Instead I like to make my grits ahead of time and I use stone ground grits and use at least two different kinds of cheese in there. I spread them out in an oiled casserole dish, cover them and put it in the fridge for a while so they can set up. Then I cut them in squares and fry them in butter on the griddle.

I use Conecuh sausage, Gulf shrimp, bell pepper, onion, chopped garlic, bacon, red pepper flakes, Cajun seasonings, salt, pepper, and parsley. I sprinkle a little flour in there to make a little bit of a roux then deglaze the pan with white wine and add chicken stock and then drizzle in some heavy cream to complete the sauce.

Irish Jr. wanted to learn last night and I think he scored an A+ on the final exam. He made them better than I do. It was the best shrimp and grits I've ever had.

I could have eaten 2 servings, but I'm almost down to 193# and about to head down to the gym this morning so trying to keep the calories within reason.

how come every time i look at your food post im instantly hungry? Looks damn good!

Thanks man. It was indeed good.

Irishguy Jr. will at least know how to feed himself when he moves out and he won't go hungry if me marries some hot chick who's mother never taught her how to cook.

I had to teach my second wife how to cook, fortunately for me Mrs. Irish came already trained.

Hey you out kicked your coverage with Mrs Irish !! Easy on the eyes and can cook.

Maybe after several crazy wives and even crazier kids the good Lord showed a little mercy on me.

What do they say... "Even a blind hog gets an acorn sometimes."

So I still have hope!

Dang I have never liked shrimp and grits but I know I would like those that looks great. May have to try it. Could you do rice instead of grits you think?

Add tomatoes and you pretty much have shrimp creole.

It takes three times to find one that will cook? Damn it! that sounds expensive! JK I love my first wife like no other but i will be damned if she cooks.

Until they chunk you in the ground...

Just short cut the process and save yourself a lot of heartache by finding some woman you don't like every 10 years or so and give her a house.

Bahahaha!

Nice...

Inatree asked for the full recipe so here it is the best that I can recall.

Disclaimer: I hardly ever measure anything unless I'm baking and I don't ever bake anything. Baking is for Wimmins. So the quantities are approximate based on my best guess.

Make you some grits on the stove using:

1 cup of grits (I like stone ground because of the texture and the flavor, but at least use "old fashioned grits I'm going to quite posting food if I hear someone used instant or quick grits This is Alabama dammit.)
2 cups of water
1 tablespoon of butter in the water
1 big pinch of salt

When that starts to get thick add:

1 cup of shredded cheddar
1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan

Stir

Lightly oil a 9x13 casserole dish and spread the grits out in it. Cover and refrigerate. I usually leave it all day from breakfast to dinner. When you're ready to make the grits cut them into about 8 equal pieces and fry them in a little peanut oil and butter on the griddle until they start to get golden brown, flip and do the same. I use medium heat.

For the shrimp I use:

1 pound of Gulf Shrimp raw pealed
1/2 pound of Conecuh sausage sliced
4 slices of bacon chopped
1/2 of a Bell Pepper chopped
1/2 of a sweet onion chopped
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
1 tablespoon of parsley
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (I make my own, but you can use any brand)
Salt and pepper to taste
White wine and/or chicken stock

I start with some extra virgin olive oil in the skillet and I brown the the sausage over medium heat. Once it is like I want it I pull it out and put it in a bowl to the side, then I put in the bacon and when it's almost done I turn it up to medium high and add the shrimp, season them with the salt, pepper and Cajun seasonings and fry them with the bacon until they are almost done before I pull all that out and put all that in the bowl too.

I turn the eye back down to medium and add the bell peppers, onions and garlic and cook that until they start to get tender and then pull all that out and put it in the same bowl with all the other stuff.

Then I sprinkle in some flour (About 2 - 3 finger pinches?) to make a quick little roux with all the pan scrapings splash in a little of the white wine I'm drinking to help it all.

Then I throw everything back in the pan on medium low add the parsley and add enough chicken stock to bring the sauce to whatever consistency you want and let it simmer until the shrimp finish cooking. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Serve the shrimp and sausage over the grit cakes and garnish with paprika and chopped green onions. Chow down.

Believe it or not all this only takes about 30 minutes (Other than cooking the grits ahead of time) and you have to work kind of quick and focus on what you are doing because you don't want to be shootin' the bull with your buddies and over cook the shrimp or the veggies or burn a grit cake because you are working all this stuff at the same time.

Thanks Irish

As usual Irishguy . I made the shrimp and grits and turned out great. They wife and granddaughters loved it. Thanks

Man that is awesome to hear.

Irish I love shrimp and grits. When I make the grits I use chicken stock and substite heavy cream for about 1/4 of the liquid. Then use smoked gouda and extra sharp white cheddar to finish.

I may try the grits cakes, looks great.

Holy smokes that looks good