Serves 2-4
"This is a very traditional low country dish. At its simplest, [it's] just plain pan-fried shrimp with grits, but it's pretty flexible," says Chef Robert Stehling of Charleston's Hominy Grill. Asparagus gives it a spring touch, but it summer you could leave it out or substitute broccolini, he adds. Chanterelles would be a good choice for the mushrooms in summer, too. "In fall, you might replace the shrimp with chicken and when it gets to be winter, you could make more of a sauce--maybe make a roux and add some shrimp stock and cream and let it thicken."
On handling asparagus, Stehling says, "A knife doesn't know where the woody end begins or ends. Bend the spear back until it snaps, then use the tender end. The woody end can be used for stock."
Our thanks to Robert Stehling and Chefs Collaborative for permission to publish this recipe.
3 slices bacon, chopped
Peanut oil (optional)
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups sliced mushrooms
1 bunch fresh asparagus, snapped and sliced on the bias into 2-inch-long pieces
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
Cheese Grits (below)
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, approximately 5-6 minutes. Drain the bacon on paper towels, reserve the bacon fat in pan and add peanut oil, if needed, to give you approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons.
Toss the shrimp with the flour until they are lightly coated, removing any excess flour. Over medium-high heat cook the shrimp on one side, flip them and add mushrooms, bacon and asparagus. Cook until shrimp is just done, about 2-4 minutes. (Take care not to overcook the shrimp.) Add the garlic, stirring constantly so as not to brown the garlic. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice, Tabasco and green onions. Spoon over cheese grits.
4 1/2 cups water
1 cup stone ground grits
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup grated Organic Valley Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup Organic Valley Shredded Parmesan Cheese
3 tablespoons Organic Valley Unsalted Cultured Butter
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Whisk in the grits and salt , reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the grits are thickened, approximately 35-40 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cheeses, butter, pepper and Tabasco, adding more to adjust seasoning as desired.
Spring: shad roe; soft-shell crabs; first shrimp of the season; mahi; wahoo; grits and greens (made with the first crop of turnips, escarole or mustard greens); asparagus; cucumbers; green peas; broccoli; strawberries; blueberries; first peaches
Summer: melons (including cantaloupes, honeydew, watermelon); peaches; nectarines; blackberries; blue crabs; mullet; snapper; chanterelles; eggplant; okra; tomatoes; hot peppers; sweet corn; butter beans; fresh relishes; slaws; chicken salad; home-canned sauces made from tomatoes, blackberries, peaches, etc.
Fall/Winter: pecans; peanuts; collards and other fall crop greens; flounder; sheepshead; scallops; oysters; country ham and biscuits; sweet potatoes; squashes; fried green tomatoes; black-eyed peas; mountain-grown apples; wild persimmons; grapes; key limes; the sweeter, smaller shrimp of fall (perfect for saucy dishes like shrimp creole)
Q&A with Robert Stehling
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