A southern girl at heart

I am not a southern girl. Unfortunately, I was born above the Mason Dixon line, but my heart and soul shout otherwise. I love the south and I would be a perfect southern girl. A house on the Savannah River with a long dock, fresh shrimp right off the boats, the smell of the salt marsh, the gardens......I would love it! One of my favorite dishes to make is Shrimp and Grits. It's really easy to prepare and something quite different that you just don't get to have too much up here in the North, unless you make it yourself. Come along with me and experience this classic taste of the South.

First, let me say that I do buy shrimp with the shell on just to save some money, but you can always buy your shrimp already peeled and deveined for convenience sake. If you are like me and want more for your money, buy the shell on shrimp, wild caught preferably. It is always easier if you peel and devein your shrimp earlier in the day and just have it ready to go. I prefer to have my bacon chopped, my green onion cleaned and thinly sliced, and all other ingredients ready to go since you will be cooking your grits and shrimp at about the same time, it just makes the process more efficient. Toss your shrimp with hot sauce in bowl and set aside. In sauté pan cook chopped bacon until crispy. Remove bacon to paper toweling to remove excess fat. Leaving a small amount of bacon fat in sauté pan add your finely minced garlic, diced shallot, and red pepper and cook for several minutes over medium heat, add shrimp. Cook shrimp for about three to four minutes on each side until pink and no longer translucent and give the lemon a squeeze over the top of the shrimp. For your grits always use the slow cooking variety. No southerner worth their salt would use instant grits. It's a matter of principle. Follow the directions for cooking on the container for quantity or use the amount in recipe. I use half chicken stock and water. Bring stock and water to boil, add grits and turn down to simmer with lid on. When grits have cooked and are proper consistency remove from heat stir in butter, and grated cheddar, cover while shrimp cooks. Serve grits topped with shrimp and garnish with bacon and thinly sliced green onion.

Southern Shrimp and Grits

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons hot sauce (such as Tabasco)

2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp

1/4 lb. bacon chopped

1/2 cup shallots, finely diced

1/4 cup red pepper, finely diced

3 large cloves garlic, minced

2 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup green onion, sliced thinly

2 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups uncooked grits

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon salt

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