Bobby Flay's Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

Recently, while I was in South Carolina on a girlie friend trip, I discovered another wonder of the world.  Who thought "true luv" would involve "grits?" The only "grits" experience I have ever had was once, trying to impress college friends, one from the South, having grits on hand for breakfast.  The rest of the box sat, unused, unopened for several years until a move.  When I reached for the box of grits, it kind shook...then continued to shake after setting it down.  I gingerly carried it to the trash.  Outside.  The grits and critters. (you know how I exaggerate...maybe little teeny tiny critters....and maybe not shaking but trembling. Little buggies munching.) 

 

I have now forgotten that sad experience because one bite of THIS DISH was heavenly .....but like all truly great things, moderation is the key.  I ordered this dish (not Bobby Flay's recipe) as a main course and it was almost overpowering.  Too much goodness needs balance.  Serve it with a good green salad and crusty bread. (I haven't mastered the fine art of hush puppies...)  I've added some diced grape or cherry tomatoes to Bobby's recipe- it adds a little contrast and texture and the acidity is perfect.  This is a keeper!

 

Bobby Flay's Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

 

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup stone-ground grits
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/2-3/4 cup sliced grape or cherry tomatoes

Directions

Bring water to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Add grits and cook until water is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and cheese.

Rinse shrimp and pat dry. Fry the bacon in a large skillet until browned; drain well. In grease, add shrimp. Cook until shrimp turn pink. Add lemon juice, chopped bacon, parsley, scallions, tomatoes and garlic. Saute for 3 minutes.
Spoon grits into a serving bowl. Add shrimp mixture and mix well. Serve immediately.

Pommes Frites with Andalouse Sauce

I recently realized that I haven't posted one of my favorite recipes- that of pommes frites (french fries-Europen style) with an incredible dipping sauce.  At my favorite Belgium waffle place, Bruges Waffles- they serve pommes frites with various dipping sauces but andoulouse is my favorite.  I taught this method of making french fries in a cooking class in the last year and have noticed since, several t.v. chefs also cook their fries this way.  It may seem like a lot of work (it isn't, just preparing ahead) but they are totally worth it.  And those that know me, know I'm a fry sauce addict from (horrors) working at Arctic Circle as a kid.  But this sauce?  Beats it all to heck!

There are several things you can do to make the perfect fry. These are a few tips:

~use Russet potatoes (the texture of the potato matters here)~soak the cut potatoes in ice water or cold water at least 1/2 hr. before (preferably more) up to a day before. This gets rid of a lot of starch

~heat oil to 325 degrees. In many taste tests, peanut oil was the preferred oil (and by most t.v. chefs.) but I find that my house smells like peanut butter for a day after...  I like to mix half and half and that does the trick - 1/2 peanut oil/1/2 canola oil

~dry off french fries and cook about 4 minutes. Place on paper towels to drain.

~ let fries completely cool. They can be in this state for hours so if you are doing a party, do the fries to this point ahead of time.

~when ready to eat, heat oil to 375 degrees and cook the fries until golden brown. This double cooking allows the potatoes to cook through without getting them too done on the outside.

They really ARE a perfect fry.

Andalouse Sauce

 1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons tomato paste (I buy it in a squeeze tube.  Look or ask for it at your grocery store.)
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion (or I use a few dashes of onion salt)
1-2 tablespoon finely chopped green bell pepper
1-2 tablespoon finely chopped red bell pepper ( I usually just use red)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice ( this MAKES the sauce.  Don't skimp)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Make sauce:

Stir together all sauce ingredients and chill, covered, at least 1 hour to allow flavors to develop. Or put it in a blender to make a smooth sauce.  I like it both ways.  Bring to room temperature before serving.
 

 •Sauce can be chilled up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.

•Fries can stand at room temperature between first and second frying up to 2 hours.

My Top Restaurant Recommendations

Marilyn Williams’s and Her Foodie Friends Top Restaurant Recommendations

　

Number One!!! Bruges Waffles (prounounced "brusch) and Pommes Frites- 336 West Broadway -European waffles with fresh fruit and creme fraiche or vanilla bean ice cream (the waffles are raised with Belgium pearlized sugar kneaded inside) The pommes frites (french fries) are European style with dipping sauces. (Voted Best of Utah Best Fries 2011 and 2012) My favorite dipping sauce is the Andalouse.

2. Red Iguana- 736 W. North Temple- best authentic Mexican food/homemade mole

3. Lone Star Taqueria- best fish taco- 2265 E. Fort Union Midvale

4. The Copper Onion- 111 East Broadway Ste. 170 food meant to be shared

5. Nordstrom Grill/Café- located inside Nordstrom stores (I like the one in Fashion Place the best.)

6. The Porcupine Grill- best Tomato Basil soup (Mondays) Love their house salad (I’ll share the dressing recipe I duplicated.)

7. Garden Café- dine in our out/buffet or menu at the Grand America

8. Blue Plate Diner- 2041 S. 2100 E. Great breakfasts

9. The Dodo- owned by same owners as Porcupine Grill -1355 E. 2100 S. Try their baked cream cheese with crackers or artichoke pie for an appetizer. Their salade de maison is perfectly light. Save room for the best Toll House Cookie Pie (Key Lime is a great second.)

10. Salt City Burger- Quarry Bend, Sandy- best burger meat. Delish.

11. The Pie Pizzeria- 273 S. 1300 E. Thick and wonderful

12. Rock Creek Pizza- best BBQ chicken pizza and best veggie pizza 11200 S. 1300 E. Sandy

13. Village Baker- 1658 W. 9000 S. West Jordan- best sandwiches on best bread (turkey cranberry to die for)

14. Red Rock Brewing Company- 3 locations- 254 S. 200 W. SL, Park City 1640 W. Redstone Center and a new one at Fashion Place

15. Blue Lemon- 3 locations 55 W. South Temple or 6910 S. Highland Dr. or 11073 North Alpine Highway (Alpine area)

16. Bambara- located 202 S. Main, SLC (in the Hotel Monaco- fancy or casual and delicious. 


17. Asian Star- 1300 E. 7588 S. Union Park - Best lettuce wraps (sorry BF Chang!) And honey walnut shrimp

18. Silverfork restaurant- up Big Cottonwood Canyon. Funky place. You will be sorry if you don’t order the melt-in-your-mouth pepper steak with mango chutney. Outside dining is awesome but bring a jacket.

19. Ruth’s Diner- Immigration Canyon fun place but with the outside dining, you can contend with bees. This is iconic in SL (both the restaurant and the bees!)

20. Wild Grape- 481 E. South Temple- yuppie yum!

21. PD Cheesesteak- in one of the stip malls by Harmon’s on 10600 s. 166 W. Towne center- South Jordon. Best philly steak sandwiches. EVERYONE says so!

22. Johnniebeefs- temporary location 7360 s. Union Park (Texaco Station) supposedly best Chicago dogs.

23. Tin Roof- 9284 S. 700 E. So many people said this was a favorite I promise to give it another try

24. Log Haven- 6451 E. Millcreek Canyon gorgeous dining, a little pricey

25. Fiddler’s Elbow- 1063 ½ E.. 2100 S. Voted best weekend brunch Sat/Sun

26. Original Pancake House in Sugarhouse. 790 E. 2100 s. Think large pancake with sauteed apples and cinnamon sugar baked on top.

27. No Worries Café- up Parley’s Canyon Ecit 140 (by Sinclair sign)

28. Millcreek Café and Eggworks- great breakfasts- 3094 e. 3300 South

29. The Road Island Diner- Oakley, Utah

30. Hi Mountain Drug Store- 40 N. Main, Kamas old fashioned diner- try their key lime or coconut cream pie shakes

31. Gourmandise- for French food- 250 S. 300 E. OR

32. Les Madeleines- 216 E. 500 S.- their kouing-aman roll is their specialty and featured on the t.v. show Best Eats. It is heavenly sweet and salty. Worth the trip!  It is truly heaven!!!!

33. Emmigration Market (now Harmons)- besides a fabulous take out/eat in deli, they serve one of Salt Lake’s best gelatos. Maybe the best.

34. Dolcetti Gelato- 9^th and 9^th in SL

35. Mazza Café- 1515 S. 1500 E. And also 912 E. 900 S.- middle eastern food- try their sampler plate

36. Pat’s BBQ- 155 W. Commonwealth Ave. (2125 S.)

37. Moochies- 232 E. 800 S. SL- fabulous meatball sandwiches and Philly’s

38. Lamb’s Café- 169 S. Main St.- SL’s oldest running restaurant

39. San Gelato Café- in Daybreak (Soda Row) South Jordan. Gelato and sandwiches

40. Valene’s House. Okay, Valene is one of my BFF’s and she is my favorite cook... you really can’t go there...but her house is truly my favorite restaurant!