Funky Pelican’s Maddie’s Shrimp & Grits
Makes 4 servings Key lime onions: 1⁄4 cup Key lime juice 1⁄4 cup red vinegar 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar 3⁄4 of a red onion, sliced thin Cajun cream sauce: 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped garlic 1⁄2 cup diced red onion 1⁄2 cup sliced mushrooms (any) 1 pint heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons blackened seasoning
1⁄4 ounce hot pepper sauce 1⁄2 cup diced tomato
1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1⁄4 cup cornstarch 1⁄4 cup water
Maddie’s2 cups water grits: 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1 tablespoon chicken base 12⁄ cup (1 stick) butter 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 2 cups instant grits Shrimp sauce: 1⁄2 cup (1 stick) butter
24 shrimp (21/25 count, tails off)
2 tablespoons blackening seasoning
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced 8 ounces diced tomatoes Garnish: 2 ounces cilantro micro greens
Make Key lime onions: Mix lime juice, vinegar and sugar. Add sliced onions, and marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours. Make Cajun cream sauce: In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, add oil. Sweat the garlic, onion and mushrooms for about 5 minutes, or until onions are just translucent. Add cream, blackening seasoning, hot pepper sauce and tomato. Bring to a rolling boil, then add Parmesan cheese and stir until fully blended.
In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch and water to form a slurry. Once your base is boiling, gradually add some of the slurry, whisking regularly, until sauce thickens slightly.
Make grits: In a large saucepot, bring water, cream, base, butter, salt and pepper to a boil. Once boiling, add the grits and cook until mixture returns to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and reduce until grits have thickened and set, following package directions. Do not overcook or grits will get hard. Make shrimp sauce: In a hot sauté pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add shrimp and blackening seasoning. Cook until tails just start to curl in. Shrimp will not be cooked through at this point.
Add mushrooms and sweat down. Once the mushrooms are about finished, add the tomatoes and toss to finish. To serve: In each of four large dinner bowls, spoon about a fourth of the Cajun cream sauce.
Place a fourth of the grits over the sauce in the center.
Around each portion of grits place 6 shrimp (from the shrimp sauce), tails up. Spoon remaining sautéed mushrooms and tomatoes around shrimp.
Finish with a portion of the Key lime onion in the center and garnish each serving with cilantro.
To request a recipe, write “You Asked for It,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Box 371, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0371; fax to (414) 224-2133; email jdemski @journalsentinel.com. Include complete restaurant name, address and phone number and your name, city of residence and phone number. Column compiled by Joanne Kempinger Demski.