All contents (C) 2004, 2005, 2006 Michael Schlesinger
Monday, March 29, 2004
Shrimp with Grits
It was another shrimp weekend. Can you tell I like shrimp? It's often shrimp weekend around here, and I've gotten good at cooking the little critters. It's really easy to overcook shrimp, so if you want to get it right, follow Michael's Rule of Shrimp: If you think they're almost done, they're probably overcooked. Try to slightly undercook them. They finish off nicely from their own heat by the time they reach the table.
Shrimp with grits was the plan, and everything I needed was available at Eastern Market (as usual): a pound and a half of medium shrimp from the fishmonger, two pounds of hot sausage from Union Meats, and heavy cream from the cheese shop. All the other ingredients I would need were already at home in my kitchen.
Shrimp with Grits
Grits: 4 cups shrimp stock 2 cups grits 1 cup heavy cream 4 T. unsalted butter Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Shrimp: 2 cups shrimp stock 2 T. extra virgin olive oil 1 large yellow onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 pounds spicy sausage, removed from casing and cut in chunks 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups shrimp stock 1 bay leaf 1 T. hot paprika 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 T. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 green onion, white and green parts, chopped
Grits: In a medium-sized pot, bring the shrimp stock to boil over medium-high heat. Slowly whisk in the grits. When the grits begin to bubble, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Allow to cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from heat and stir in the cream and butter; season with salt and pepper.
Shrimp: Coat a deep skillet with the olive oil and place over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; sauté for two minutes to soften. Add the sausage, turning the meat to cook evenly until there is a fair amount of fat in the pan and the sausage is brown. Sprinkle in the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to create a roux. Slowly pour in the shrimp stock and continue to stir to avoid lumps. Stir in the paprika and toss in the bay leaf. Turn up the heat and bring to a simmer. Add the shrimp and poach for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are firm and pink and the gravy is smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper; stir in the parsley and green onion.
Heap the grits onto a plate and cover with the shrimp and sausage.
We had enough for dinner for two, and leftovers for 4.
My boy Dan came into town last week, bearing gifts that his girl Vanessa picked up on New York City's Arthur Avenue, up in da Bronx. Arthur Avenue is an ancient Italian neighborhood, surrounded by some of the Bronx's most rough and tumble neighborhoods. It was featured in A Bronx Tale, written by former resident Chazz Palminteri. If De Niro and Pesci didn't grow up there, they should have. Belmont Avenue runs nearby, and a kid named Dion made it famous in the fifties with the song "The Wanderer." But I digress. Dan brought a beautifully formed ball of scamorza, dry mozzarella.
After deciding that the Italian cheese would be luscious sliced and melted over a baked ziti, I headed to Eastern Market. First stop was the Union Meat Company for three pounds of their freshly made hot sausage. Then to the fresh pasta store, run by one of the Canales brothers, for some grated Parmesan. I crossed the aisle to the cheese shop and picked up some nice ricotta. Then it was back to the house to cook.
I removed the sausage from their casings and slow cooked them in a skillet, breaking them up while they cooked. And I made a quick tomato sauce, and cooked a box of ziti.
I drained the ziti in a colandar, and the sausage in a sieve.
Next, I put the ziti back into a pot and added a ladle of sauce, while I stirred and cooked it over low heat. I then tossed it into a casserole dish. I mixed the ricotta with an egg, some parsley and some parmesan, and dropped dollops of the mixture onto the ziti. Using a wooden spoon, I streaked the cheese mixture throughout the dish. For the next layer, I ladled in half the sauce, mixing it through the ziti. I covered the whole dish with the sausage, more sauce and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
I put the casserole into a 375-degree oven and cooked it for 45 minutes. When it was bubbly, I removed the dish and turned the heat up to broil. I covered it all with slices of the dry mozzarella, and ran it under the broiler for a few minutes.
The spring-like weather this weekend had me thinking seafood, so instead of my weekly pilgrimage to Eastern Market, I went shopping on Maine Avenue. On Friday, I picked up a box of frozen shrimp with their heads on, almost four and a half pounds, and a quart of oysters. The shrimp had thawed by the next day, so I removed all their little heads and made shrimp stock. Next, it was time for oyster dressing – and as with so many good things in life, it begins with the Louisiana Trinity.
Oyster Dressing
4 t. unsalted butter 1 qt. shucked oysters and their liquor 4 T. vegetable oil 4 c. chopped yellow onions 2 c. chopped green bell peppers 2 c. chopped celery 3 t. salt 1 t. cayenne 6 bay leaves 2 T. minced garlic 1/2 c. finely chopped parsley 2 c. shrimp stock 1/2 c. chopped green onions 8 c. 1-inch cubes of French bread 2/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 10"x15" baking pan with the butter and set aside.
Drain the oysters, reserving the oyster liquor. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, salt and cayenne and saute for 10 to 15 minutes, or until soft. Add the bay leaves, garlic and parsley, and saute for 3 minutes. Add the stock and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the green onions and oyster liquor, stir to mix well, and remove from the heat.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the vegetable mixture with the bread cubes. Stir with a wooden spoon to mix thoroughly. Add the oysters and cheese, and gently fold in.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for one hour, or until bubbly and golden brown. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
The amazing thing about this dish is the cubes of bread taste like oysters, since each is roughly the size of an oyster and has thoroughly absorbed the oyster flavor.
It was frightening. The weekend was approaching and there wasn’t a cup of stock in the house – that would cut my possible recipes in half. And company was coming: five for dinner on Saturday.
So on Saturday I headed out for Eastern Market in search of a bird. A big bird, because I had big plans for it. For the main course, I had decided to make a boneless, stuffed turkey breast. I also wanted to roast the legs and thighs for turkey salad, and throw the wings and carcass into a stockpot. I bought a 15-pound turkey.
Rolled Turkey Breast
1 turkey breast. Buy a whole bird, and ask the butcher to cut out a boneless, skinless breast in one piece – do not split the breast. Ask to have it butterflied so it lays out flat in one large piece.
Preheat the oven to 375. Wash the breast thoroughly and dry it with paper towels. Lay out a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, and lay the breast out flat with the inside of the bird facing up.
Throw the sage leaves and garlic into a food processor, start up the motor, and drizzle in the olive oil until you have a thick paste.
Spread the paste all over the breast. Lay out the pancetta across the whole breast, and crumble the feta on top.
Grab one side of the breast and fold it over tight, rolling the entire breast into a large log. Tightly wrap the foil, making sure you tighten the package into a log shape.
Bake for one and a quarter hours, remove from the oven and let stand for 30 minutes before slicing.
Using some of the stock, I made couscous with garlic and shallots. To serve, I placed two slices of the turkey roll on a mound of couscous, with asparagus spears on the side. The turkey cuts beautifully but you'll need a spatula to move the slices over to the plate intact.
The turkey roll is also good chilled and sliced thin. There was a ton left over, so I chopped the asparagus and some turkey roll and mixed it into the couscous for a nice cold salad for lunches. I've also got a freezer full of stock and a yummy turkey salad spiked with hot smoked paprika in the fridge. Not bad for a $20 bird!
November 2004 Thanksgiving
September 2004 Lasagna
Rice with Chicken and Sausage
August 2004 Chicken Noodle Casserole
Chicken Pot Pie
July 2004 Chicken w/Couscous
When I Don't Cook
Apple Smoked Chicken
June 2004 Grilled Chicken
Bratwurst
Chili
May 2004 Red Beans
Chicken Salad
Chicken Creole
I 'Cue, Too
(barbecue chicken}
April 2004 Roast Chicken Greek Shrimp
March 2004 Shrimp with Grits Scamorza Baked Ziti Oyster Dressing Stuffed Turkey Breast
February 2004 Shrimp Paprikas Chicken Paprikas Polenta
January 2004 Rosti Stock Roast Turkey