Garlic-Chili Shrimp and Grits

[Raine]

Garlic-Chili Shrimp and Grits

1 bunch fresh asparagus
3 1/4 cups chicken broth, divided
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
1/2 cup half-and-half
6 T. butter or margarine, divided
1 1/2 T. chili-garlic paste, divided
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 lb. peeled, large fresh shrimp
2 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt

Snap off tough ends of asparagus. Cut into 1 inch pieces and set aside.
Bring 3 cups chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; whisk in grits and half-and-half.
Cook; whisk constantly, 7 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat.
Stir in 4 T. butter and 1 1/2 tsps. chili-garlic paste. Set grits aside; keep warm.
Melt remaining 2 T. butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and green onions, and saute 3 to 4 minutes.
Add shrimp and remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth, and cook mixture 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in remaining 1 T. chili-garlic paste, lemon juice, and salt; cook 3 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Serve immediately over warm grits.

Yield: 4 servings

Note: IF YOU ARE IN AN AREA WHERE YOU CAN GET THEM, USE STONE GROUND GRITS!!

[marmalady]

Lol, Rainee, I was going to comment on the 'instant' grits before I had read your entire post! Yes, yes, yes, use stone ground grits if you can find 'em; I'd even be willing to send them to folks who can't get them - let me know, I'll email you my addy!


Rainee - is the 'chile-garlic' paste an oriental paste?

[Raine]

Here is a recipe for the paste if you can't find it.

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, 3 peeled and 1 minced
6 small dried chili peppers or 1 teaspoon chili flakes

Heat 1/3 cup of the olive oil in a small skillet over a medium flame. Add the peeled garlic and chili; cook 2 minutes, or until the garlic is golden and the chili peppers are swollen (or the chili flakes are aromatic). Cool the garlic and chili 5 minutes, then crush in a mortar with a pestle into a coarse paste.


Add the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil to the skillet over medium heat and cook the minced garlic until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Stir in the prepared garlic-chili paste and cook 30 seconds. Makes 4 servings.

[Raine]

Or you can use something like this.

[Shunka]

Quick cooking grits are not the same as the nasty instant grits. I only use the stone ground (when I can get it) or the quick cooking; never the instant stuff.

[Raine]

That is correct. I can eat the quick grits or the stone ground grits. But you can keep the instant grits! YUK!

Stone ground are the best!