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Oddly enough, being raised on a daily regimen of awe-inspiring Southern cooking, I wasn't a grits lover by any stretch of the imagination (I guess you can't love everything). Grits was at the top of my least favorite foods. I don't know if it was the taste, texture, or a combination of both. Even my mother's homemade butter didn't make a difference.
I do remember, however, the only time I would touch a bowl of grits, was when my parents and I would take the annual pilgrimage to North Carolina for the always anticipated Moore family reunion. This is where my favorite Aunt Irea Moore-Chism would make the best cheddar grits in the land. I used to think that she made that recipe up just for my benefit...no such luck. sigh.
After Aunt Irea passed, her daughter Yvonne "Cousin Bonnie", introduced me to a different version. It was during our final family reunion she had whipped up my favorite cheddar grits with some extra....shrimp and garlic. Need I say more?
Enjoy
Yvonne Chism, Scotland Neck, NC
6 cups water
¾ teaspoon sea salt
2 cups yellow grits (read label for)
1¾ teaspoons table salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup salted butter
10 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (or more to your liking)
3 medium eggs
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup clarified butter
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 leek, halved and cut into ¼-inch pieces
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped
2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 Tablespoon McCormick Cajun Seasoning
½ cup brandy
½ cup Swanson's Chicken Stock
⅓ cup Swanson's Beef Stock
2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
3 Tablespoons salted butter
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease a 9x13 baking dish. In a large pot, add water and ¾ teaspoon of sea salt, and bring to a boil. Whisk in grits and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently until the grits are tender and very thick (about 30 minutes).
Remove pot from the heat, and stir in 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper, ½ cup salted butter, and shredded cheddar cheese until the cheese has melted completely. Beat eggs in a bowl with milk until smooth then stir into the grits until evenly combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
Bake until grits are hot in the center and the top is golden brown (about 1 hour).
While grits are baking, melt the clarified butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, and cook until golden brown (about 2 minutes).
Add leeks, and cook for an additional minute. Stir in mushrooms, tomatoes, and Creole seasoning. Cook and stir continuously for 4 minutes.
Pour in brandy and simmer 2 minutes before adding the chicken stock and beef stock. Reduce heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.
Stir in shrimp, thyme, and 3 tablespoons of butter. Cook and stir until the shrimp is pink (about 4 minutes).
Season with salt and pepper. Serve the shrimp and mushroom sauce on top of the grits
