Lighter Shrimp Florentine Over Tomato Grits Food

CREAMY SHRIMP FLORENTINE PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta al dente according to package directions, in a large stock pot of generously-salted water. Drain, and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a separate large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper on both sides. Then add the shrimp to the pan and sauté for 3-5 minutes, turning once, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. (Cooking time will vary on the size of your shrimp.) Transfer shrimp with a slotted spoon to a clean plate, and set aside.
• Use the same sauté pan to prepare your Creamy Parmesan Sauce.
• Once the pasta and creamy sauce are finished cooking and ready to go, combine them in the large stock pot. Add in the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and basil, and toss together until everything is evenly coated with the sauce.
• Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese.
• Heat olive oil (or melt butter) in the large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté one minute, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Sprinkle evenly with the flour, and stir to combine. Sauté for an additional minute so that the flour can cook, stirring occasionally.
• Then slowly add chicken broth, whisking to combine until smooth. Whisk in milk, and bring to a simmer for 1 minute, or until the sauce has thickened a bit. Add in the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and stir until the cheese has melted. If you'd like a creamier sauce (which is delicious), stir in the half and half as well.
• Remove from heat and use/serve immediately.

LOW COUNTRY SHRIMP AND GRITS WITH STEWED TOMATOES

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water, the milk, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste for the grits to a gentle boil. Whisk in the grits. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is smooth and thick and falls easily from the spoon, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Towards the end of the cooking time for the grits, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice and the bay leaves. Season with cayenne pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture is slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Increase the heat under the tomatoes to medium high and add the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are pink and firm, an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the parsley. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. When the grits have thickened, stir in the cheese and butter. To serve, place a heaping spoonful of grits on each plate. Top with the shrimp and tomato gravy. Garnish with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

GET YOUR GRITS ON WITH BLACKENED SHRIMP

Steps:

• Toss shrimp in Cajun spice in a large bowl to coat.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Heat butter and olive oil in a pan, then add shrimp. Cook until shrimp curls and turns pink, 1 to 2 minutes on each side (see Cook's Note).
• Ladle 1/4 cup Roasted Corn Emulsion on bottom of a plate. Place 3 hot Fried Green Tomato Slices side by side, on top. Add small scoops of Stone Ground Bacon Grits on each Fried Green Tomato slice. Place a shrimp on each of the stacks.
• Sprinkle diced tomato and chives on top. Then, dust with more Cajun spice and serve.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Rub corn cobs with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Place on a sheet tray and roast until cooked and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Once cooled, cut corn off of the cobs and set aside, saving the cobs.
• Combine shrimp base, 4 cups water and cobs in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until liquid is reduced by half, then remove cobs and discard. Add heavy cream to the pot and bring to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a separate small pan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking, until it becomes the consistency of wet sand, 3 to 4 minutes, to create a roux. Remove from heat. Once the cream is simmering, whisk in the roux mixture. Reduce heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
• Add corn, chives and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until combined, then serve hot.
• Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar and Cajun spice in a large bowl to create a breading mixture.
• Combine buttermilk and honey in another large bowl and whisk until combined.
• Slice green tomatoes about 1/4-inch thick, roughly 4 to 5 slices per tomato. Place tomato slices in the honey-buttermilk mixture and gently toss to coat.
• Place each green tomato slice in the breading mixture, and coat both sides well. Set breaded tomatoes aside and save any remaining breading.
• Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, to prepare for frying.
• Re-bread green tomato slices in the remaining breading mixture, then place in the skillet and fry until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
• Remove fried green tomato slices from oil and place on a paper towel to absorb any remaining grease. Sprinkle with salt to taste, then serve hot.
• Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned.
• Add heavy cream, whole milk and 1 1/4 cups water to the pot and bring to a simmer. Stir in the grits with a wire whisk, making sure there are no lumps.
• Bring back to a simmer, then lower heat. Season with salt and pepper, and let simmer, stirring occasionally to ensure that no lumps form and the bottom does not burn, until grits are fully cooked, 20 to 25 minutes (see Cook's Note). Remove pot from heat.
• Whisk in mascarpone until well combined, and add salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve hot or refrigerate up to 4 days.

TOMATO GRITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Lightly grease a 9"x11" casserole dish.
• Bring water and milk to boil in medium saucepan.
• Add salt and slowly STIR in grits; return to boil.
• Stir grits for one full minute.
• Reduce heat, cover and cook for three minutes.
• Stir and add the stick of butter, stirring until it melts.
• Cover and cook 3-5 minutes more or until grits are thick and creamy.
• Remove from heat and set aside.
• Saute onions in remaining butter; add garlic cheese, 1 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese and the sauteed onions to grits and stir until cheese is melted.
• Add tomatoes and mix well.
• Stirring constantly, add small amount of hot grits mixture to beaten eggs before adding the eggs to the full mixture.
• Pour into prepared casserole dish and bake for 40 minutes.
• Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheddar cheese and cook an additional 5 minutes to allow cheese to melt.

TOMATOES FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Cut a slice from top or each tomato.
• Scoop out pulp to halfway down tomato and save for sauce or soup.
• In a frypan, melt butter.
• Stir in onion and garlic, cook over medium heat until tender.
• Stir in spinach, milk,and salt and pepper to taste.
• Spoon mixture into tomatoes and arrange in ovenproof serving dish or on baking sheet.
• topping: Combine bread crumbs, parsley and cheese, sprinkle over top of tomatoes.
• Bake in 400 degrees oven for 20 minutes or until heated through.

SHRIMP FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Thaw and drain spinach.
• Spread spinach in a pie pan and top with shrimp.
• In a saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour.
• Then gradually add milk, wine, scallions.
• Cook on low, stirring
• Add salt, pepper and enough paprika for a rosy color.
• Pour sauce over shrimp and sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until bubbly.