East/West Shrimp and Grits Recipe
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Delicious East meets West Dish, created by Chef John for P. F. Chang's The Goodness of Fall Recipe Contest!
Author:
Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • [For the grit cakes]: 4-6 cups water
  • 1 cup yellow stone-ground corn grits
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • [For the shrimp gravy]: 4 pieces beef bacon
  • 1 cup green apple (Granny Smith), cored and diced
  • dash cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 medium shallot, small dice
  • 1 cup (Asian) Shitake mushrooms, julienne
  • 2 small red chili peppers, diced, pith and seeds removed
  • 1 ¾ cups sweetened coconut milk
  • 1 pound 16 to 20 count shrimp (Prawns), peeled, deveined, tail off
  • ⅛ teaspoon Chinese 5-Spice Powder
  • dash Kosher salt
  • scallions, chopped
Instructions
  1. [To make grit cakes]: Bring 4 to 6 cups water to a boil. Slowly stir in one cup of grits and bring back to a boil. Turn heat down to low, cover and simmer approximately 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Once grits are soft and creamy, remove from heat. Stir in butter, heavy cream, curry powder and Kosher salt. Spray a small rectangular baking dish (approximately 7x9-inch) generously with cooking spray. Pour cooked grits into dish, cover with saran wrap and place in freezer to cool completely.
  3. [To make shrimp gravy]: Cook 4 pieces of beef bacon until crispy. Place on paper towel and blot excess grease. Allow to cool and crumble into bacon bits. Set aside.
  4. Place diced green apple (I used Granny Smith) in a bowl with cold water and add a dash of cider vinegar. Set aside. [Note: This will keep apples from turning brown.]
  5. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and two tablespoons salted butter to cold pan. Allow butter to melt slowly over medium-low heat.
  6. Add diced shallot and sauté until soft.
  7. Add julienne mushrooms and chili peppers. Saute approximately 1 minute until soft. Turn heat to low and add coconut milk. Bring coconut milk to poaching temperature.
  8. Add apples, shrimp and 5-Spice Powder. Slowly poach shrimp in liquid until pink.
  9. Add a dash Kosher salt. Stir and keep warm.
  10. [Assembly]: Remove chilled yellow corn grits from freezer. Using a knife or spatula, cut grits into equal portion rectangles. Heat small non-stick skillet over medium to high heat. Add enough olive oil to cover bottom. Carefully remove a rectangle grit cake from baking dish and lightly dust with flour on both sides. Fry grit cake in hot oil until golden brown, turning once. Place on paper towel to drain.
  11. Once drained, cut rectangular grit cake into two triangles and place on serving dish. Ladle shrimp gravy over top and garnish with bacon crumbles and chopped scallions.
Recipe by The Saturday Evening Pot at http://thesaturdayeveningpot.com/2013/10/eastwest-shrimp-and-grits-recipe-for-p-f-changs-the-goodness-of-fall-contest.html