Jul 8, 2010

Some Southern Cooking {with a little help}


We tried some good ol' southern cooking last week.  Cajun Grilled Shrimp with Cheesy Grits... Paula Dean would be proud.  :)  And I had a little help in the kitchen, too!




I've always wanted to make cheesy grits.  I recently had it at the restaurant Brasa Rotisserie when we were out with some friends.  If you haven't been there, I would recommend it. 


It turned out cheesy and yummy and I will definitely be making it again.  Here's the recipe, it was quite easy to make.

Cheesy Grits
2 c water
2 c milk
1 c white corn meal
1 t salt
1 1/2 c cheese + 1/2 c cheese
3 T flat leaf parsey, finely chopped
2 T butter

Bring water to a boil.  Combine milk, corn meal, and salt, whisking constantly.  Cook until thickened, stirring frequently.  Cover, continue cooking over low heat about 5 minutes and stir.  Add 1 1/2 c cheese, and flat leaf parsley, and 2 T butter, stirring until incorporated.  Add to baking dish and top with remaining cheese.  Bake 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Yum-o. 


Cajun Grilled Shrimp...this was probably the best grilled shrimp that I have made.  They turned drier and crispier than my normal soggy shrimp, sort of reminded me of the restaurant-style shrimp I have had before that I've never been able to quite pull off.  I think I took my time to do a few things before grilling (underlined) that made a difference.  Plus, my husband is a meticulous griller.  :) 

Cajun Grilled Shrimp
20 jumbo shrimp (cooked or uncooked are both fine), completely thawed
cajun seasoning
salt and pepper
olive oil
garlic powder (not garlic salt)
wood skewers

Press thawed jumbo shrimp in paper towels until completely dry.  Put dry shrimp in a plastic bag with a few tablespoons of olive oil (to coat).  Next, remove shrimp and skewer.  Sprinkle each side with cajun seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder (make sure not to skimp on spices).  Keep skewers in refrigerator until almost ready to grill.  About 20-30 minutes before grilling, take shrimp out of refrigerator so they can get to room temperature (this is supposed to help meat cook better, I'm not sure why).  Grill on low-medium heat until outside is slightly crispy. 




Serve grilled shrimp with cheesy grits and sweet potato fries.  Enjoy!

2 comments:

nick&abby said...

Ooh I love cheesy grits! thanks for the recipe, I'm trying it!

Tara Marie said...

Ooh I know this! You are supposed to let meat get to room tempurature before you cook it because if you throw cold meat onto a hot grill or pan, the meat will seize up and get tough. Also, when you do red meat on the grill (like a steak) you should let it rest for a bit after you take it off the grill. If you cut into it right away all the juices will run out and you'll lose flavor.

And that's about it for my grilling knowledge haha.

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