New Orleans barbecue shrimp & grits

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Jim Mills, partner in a new restaurant called State Fare Kitchen & Bar, demonstrates how to make his New Orleans-style shrimp & grits with help from food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone. Owner Lee Ellis also describes the restaurant concept.

New Orleans-style barbeque shrimp on creamy grits (serves four)
State Fare Kitchen & Bar 

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 24 large Gulf Shrimp, wild caught, peeled and deveined
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 3 teaspoons Shallots, minced
  • 1/4 cup Green onion, white part only, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon BBQ Spice, recipe follows
  • 1/2 cup White Wine
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Butter, softened
  • Salt and Black Pepper to taste
  • 6 cups Grits

Directions

  1. Place olive oil in a saucepan set over medium high heat. When heated, add shrimp and saute until about half cooked.
  2. Add garlic, shallot and green onion and cook until lightly browned.
  3. Reduce heat and add white wine and Worcestershire. Let liquid reduce as the shrimp finish cooking through.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, bit by bit as the sauce thickens.
  5. Divide grits among four large soup plates. Top each with six shrimp and divide the sauce, spooning it over the shrimp.

BBQ Spice (makes a scant 1/3 cup)

Ingredients

  • 4 teaspoons Black Pepper, ground
  • 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 1 Teaspoon Dried Basil

Directions

  1. Combine all in a mixing bowl. Keep tightly covered until needed.

Creamy Grits
makes about 6 cups

Ingredients

  • 4 cups Water
  • 1 cup Grits
  • 1/3 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Butter

Directions

  1. Bring water to a boil, add grits while stirring constantly so lumps don't form.
  2. Cook until tender -- quick cook grits will need about 5 minutes, regular grits need about a half an hour.
  3. Stir in butter when done and keep warm until needed.