Date Night : Candied Bacon Steaks with Triple Corn Hoecakes, Coca Cola Glaze, “BTFO” BBQ Sauce Drizzle, Southern Braised Collard Greens, & Pickled Shallots

Candied Bacon Steaks with Double Corn Hoecakes, Coca Cola Glaze, “BTFO”
BBQ Sauce Drizzle, Southern Braised Collard Greens, & Pickled Shallots

Finally, a date night post. It seems like it has been months since our last dinner post. Between the wedding planning, bachelor-bachelorette party planning, my Mountain Man's new job, a few health scares, and revamping my food blog... I have been QUITE the busy bird. But if that doesn't sound crazy enough, I decided to throw another big commitment onto my plate, and I'm finally ready to share another exciting announcement :) Drum roll please....... Piece, Love, & Cooking/Haute + Heirloom is now an up and running Etsy store. You can find my store here. I know many of y'all will have questions... like what will you be selling, how will you send it, will you do custom orders? As of right now, I have posted products like freshly baked cookies, recipe DIY kits, cake mixes, pickles, candied jalapenos, jams, jellies, marmalades, caramels, sauces, bars and brownies, brittle, doughnuts and cronuts, pies, marshmallows, gourmet caramel apples, simple syrups, and so-so-so-so-so much more!! Of course most of your favorites will be on there, but here will be some new additions as well :) I hope that all of my loyal followers will wander on over to my Etsy store and buy some things. But no worries, no commitment necessary. I personally wanted to take on this adventure myself, so that I could get my name and recipes out there for everyone to enjoy. Maybe one day, after much hard work and raising funds, my dream cafe will come true! The store isn't completely stocked quite yet, but we're at about 35 different products... and GROWING. Okay, enough about that and onto our delightful date night...

a gourmet southern date night

I have already posted the recipes for my Bacon Fat Fried-Triple Corn Hoecakes and my Most Flavorful Braised Southern Collard Greens, which is what were both served alongside our main dish component. I mean, what goes better with cornbread and collards... PORK, butofcourse. You've got to schmancy it up a little though, so I bought some cured pork bellies and braised them in sorghum molasses, coca cola, and spices. After slow-cooking the squares of belly, I removed them from the oven and used a sharp knife to form a crosshatch look to it. I felt like this would be most beneficial because it would allow more fat to render during the second cooking process, it would also trap in the homemade coca cola glaze to make it extra sticky, and it helped the belly to crisp up more on top. Once the braising + glazing, you literally have a glorified "bacon steak". Yep, bacon steaks are real over here at PLC, so if that doesn't convince you enough to make it, then you're, well, un-American. C'MON Y'ALL, IT'S BACON STEAKS, HERE. The homemade coca cola glaze pairs perfectly with the pork belly and gives it that finger-licking-good essence. OhMahGah, it's a Candied Bacon Steak...  yeah it should be blowin' your mind, don't fear the overwhelming emotions that are hitting you like a mack truck right now. Woo-sah, in blue-out red, keep calm. Although I already had so many components in one dish, it was seriously lacking in much needed acidity and brightness of flavor. This was provided by the Signature "BTFO" BBQ Sauce (yes, that means back the f*ck off) and the pink pickled shallots. You might be wondering why the sauce is so violent. Well, the explanation is quite simple to explain... the South Carolina mustard based condiment has three different uses of garlic. You have fresh minced garlic, roasted garlic paste, and garlic powder. So after eating, I'm pretty sure your friends, family, or significant other will say "BTFO" because you're breath will be stanky. But hey, as long as they are eating it with you, then it don't matter. When you are ready to plate, I made a solid swipe of the "BTFO" BBQ Sauce, topped it with a glazed pork belly steak, and drizzled it with more coca cola glaze. Off to the side, stack a few of the buttered hoecakes and top them with some collard greens + pink pickled shallots. In a optimistic look into the future, this exactly the type of cuisine I will be focusing on... modern. southern. comfort. If you're a gal or guy that obsesses about pork and bacon as much as we do, then candied bacon steaks are a "must" to make!! Enjoy and please make sure to check out the new Haute + Heirloom store on Etsy :) Love y'all, XOXO Juliana.

look at the collard green "green-ness" + the pickled shallot "pink-ness", it's so beautiful 

perfectly fried hoecakes + a shot of the sauce drizzles 

CANDIED BACON STEAKS. enuff said.  

Homemade "BTFO" South Carolina Mustard Based BBQ Sauce

For the Candied Bacon Steaks:

2lbs House Cured Pork Belly, Cut into Large Squares

½C Sorghum Molasses

1C Coca Cola or Cheerwine Soda

1t Paprika, Chili Powder, & Cayenne (these can be reduced for a less spicy version)

Fleur de Sel + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

For the Coca Cola Glaze:

1C Coca Cola or Cheerwine (whatever soda you used to braise the pork belly)

2 Limes, Zested & Juiced

1 ½C Light Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Signature “BTFO” BBQ Sauce:

1T Canola Oil

¼C Minced Shallots + ¼C Minced Garlic

¾C Classic Yellow Mustard + ¼C Stone Ground Mustard

¾C Sorghum Molasses (maple syrup may be substituted if needed)

¼C Brown Sugar

1T Worcestershire Sauce + 1T Sweet Potato-Habanero Hot Sauce (I use Cochon’s)

½t Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, & Chili Powder

1T Freshly Cracked Pepper

1T Red Pepper Flakes

¾C Cold Apple Cider Vinegar

1-2T Roasted Garlic Paste (can be homemade or store-bought)

For the Self Rising Corn Flour:

1C Corn Flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Corn Flour)

1 ½t Baking Powder

¼t Salt

For the Double Corn Hoecakes:

1C Self Rising Corn Flour (the entire batch you just made in the previous step)

1C Southern Ground Cornmeal

¼C Corn Powder (this can be made by processing freeze dried corn kernels into powder)

2T Buttermilk Powder

2t Baking Powder (possibly just 1T of this instead)

½t Salt + ¼t White Pepper

1T Sugar, Optional

2 Beaten Eggs

¾C Well-Shaken Buttermilk

¼C + 2T Potlikker Stock (chicken stock or water may be substituted here as well)

¼C Canola Oil/Melted Bacon Fat/Melted Butter (plus extra for frying)

Directions:

1. For the Candied Bacon Steaks: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Cut in the pieces of cured pork belly into large squares or extremely thick slices. This will help the pork belly remain in tact during the braising process. Line a baking dish with tin foil, spray with Pam, and arrange the pieces of pork in the pan. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sorghum molasses, Coca Cola, and assorted spices until completely incorporated. Pour the liquid evenly over the pork belly, so that the meat is only halfway submerged. Sprinkle the dry tops of the meat with fleur de sel and fresh cracked pepper. Cover the entire pan with tin foil, so that all of the moisture will be sealed in, which will create super tender pork belly. Bake for 4 hours, making sure to flip over the bacon slices at the halfway mark of the cooking time (two hours each side). Once it has cooked, remove the pork belly from the pan and put on a plate or in a container to chill in the refrigerate overnight.

2. For the Coca Cola Glaze: In a small saucepan, bring the soda, lime zest and juice, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt & pepper to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer until it is syrupy, about 30-45 minutes. If serving right away, keep warm until you are ready to plate. But this glaze can also be made the night before and refrigerated until you need it.

3. For the “BTFO” BBQ Sauce: In a medium pot, warm the canola oil over medium-low heat until hot. Add in the minced garlic and shallots and cook until soft and transparent. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the yellow mustard, grainy mustard, sorghum molasses, and Worcestershire sauce. Sift the dry mustard, garlic powder, and chili powder over the mustard mixture (this will help avoid lumping). Pour it into the pot containing the sautéed aromatics. Next, whisk in the fresh cracked pepper, red pepper flakes, and water/apple cider vinegar. Simmer the BBQ sauce on low heat for 30-45 minutes, stirring often throughout cooking time. Once the timer has expired, mix in the roasted garlic paste, and then season to taste, adding any needed seasonings, water, or vinegar to reach the desired taste to your liking. Cool the sauce before refrigerating or keep warm if ready to serve.

4. For the Self-Rising Corn Flour: In a small mixing bowl, sift together the corn flour, baking powder, and salt until you have a thoroughly combined mixture. Pour it into a container or plastic bag for storing.

5. For the Double Corn Hoe Cakes: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the prepared Self-Rising Corn Flour, cornmeal, corn powder, buttermilk powder, baking powder, salt, white pepper, and sugar until the components are distributed evenly throughout. In another bowl, whisk together the two beaten eggs, buttermilk, potlikker stock, and ¼C melted fat. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the center. Using a fork, gently whisk together the mixtures until a hoecake batter is formed. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add some fat to the pan for cooking (I personally like to use equal parts of canola oil and bacon fat/melted butter/duck fat because the canola oil helps to raise the burning temperature to the other delicate fat). Once the fat is hot enough, scoop or drop ¼C of batter into the hot skillet to form small silver dollar cakes. Fry them until they are golden brown and perfectly crispy, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove the hoe cakes to a paper towel lined plate and briefly drain them of excess oil.

6. Crisping the Pork Belly: Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat with just about 1T of canola oil to lube the pan. Score the top of your braised pork belly squares with diagonal lines to create hatch marks. Season with a little salt and fresh cracked pepper, and then place the square (marked side down) onto the scorching hot pan. Sear for roughly 3-5 minutes until it has developed a deep brown color and the fat has begun to render. Next, reduce the heat to medium-low and let the pork belly cook at a slower pace, making sure to fry all sides of the square. The overall cooking process should take about 15-20 minutes. Remove the pork belly to a cooling rack that is fitted on top of a baking sheet pan, and then lightly dab with paper towels to remove excess fat. Heavily brush the Coca Cola Glaze all over the crisped pork belly and broil in the oven for 5 minutes per side, making sure to brush once or twice more with the remaining glaze until a candied bacon steak has been formed.

7. Assembling the Dish: On a serving plate, either drizzle a circle or brush a streak of the “BTFO” BBQ Sauce around the circumference or through the center of the plate (this will create a rim or middle division, creating a place to plate your dish). On one half of your sauce base, place a small stack of buttered silver dollar hoecakes, while on the other half, lay down a glazed square of braised pork belly. Ladle one last spoonful of Coca Cola glaze over the candied bacon steak. Next, create a small mound of cooked Southern collard greens in between the two main components. Garnish with crispy bacon lardons, fried garlic chips, & minced chives.

#instagrub : The Most Flavorful Braised Southern Collard Greens

The Most Flavorful Braised Collard Greens

Today, I'm going to introduce y'all to one of my soon-to-be-favorite weekly feature called #instagrub. The idea of this started when I really got into the nitty-gritty of food blogging... often you're cooking too much, too long, or too quickly and there isn't a good enough space to capture the dish. I swear I'm so busy with adding the right amount of this and the right amount of that in order to make the recipe perfect, that I will cook from sunrise to sunset and not even get a hot meal myself. It's crazy how used to I am to eating room temperature or cold food. This is okay sometimes, but not blessing when fried chicken is coming hot out of the fryer. Nope, not gonna work. So, when stuff is just to good to wait or it's too dark to capture a picture in natural sunlight, I turn to my iPhone + Instagram. The convenience of my phone or an app is wayyyyy too appealing... and ya'know a girl has gotta EAT. Once Haute + Heirloom starts up, this will be on the rotating schedule every week. I really like it because I take a picture of almost everything I make (or do) on Instagram and some of them get left behind the gutter. No more of that, mmk?? Well, this recipe is tried + true to any Southerner, Braised Collard Greens. Now this girl doesn't turn her nose up at any collard green recipe because I don't discriminate against a tender green cooked with ham hocks and other classic ingredients, but I have over the years, developed a recipe of my very own. This has been done through watching the Food Network, cooking with family, or just doing a little research. I will say though that I like braised collard greens to be super flavorful and on the rich side of things. And that can be hard to come by because most consist of stock, hocks, and simple seasonings. I pull flavor from bacon fat, smoked ham hocks, chicken stock, hot sauce, vinegar, mustard, and tomatoes. Some unique items I include pickled jalapeno juice, maple syrup, caramelized onions, fried garlic chips, and a little bit of chicken base. I love the aromatic qualities that caramelized onions + fried garlic chips add to the dish (they are added at the very end), while I also adore the richness of maple syrup, bacon fat, and smoked ham hocks. These greens are so complex that they really serve as a entree over a side dish. But don't worry they go great along almost anything... but I'm partial to the Date Night meal I made last week: Coca Cola Glazed Pork Belly with Bacon Fat Fried Corn Hoe Cakes. It was the perfect accompaniment. To add some acidity to the dish, I topped them with pickled shallots and everything was great!! Enjoy :)

Homemade Pink Pickled Shallots

For the Collard Greens:

2T Melted Bacon Fat or Unsalted Butter

1 Medium Vidalia Onion, Minced

5 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

4 Smoked Ham Hocks, Slashed (in order to pierce the outer skin for more flavor)

2Q Chicken Stock (or enough to cover the ham hocks completely; buy unsalted stock)

1-2C Water, Room Temperature

¼C Pickled Jalapeno Brine & Maple Syrup

1t Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, & Red Pepper Flakes

2T Texas Pete Hot Sauce + 2T Green Tabasco Sauce

2T Pepper Vinegar + Apple Cider Vinegar

1T Soy Sauce + 1T Worcestershire

2T Stone Ground Grainy Mustard + Chicken Base

1 Large Tomato, Diced into Small Chunks (I actually like unripe tomatoes for this recipe)

2lbs Chopped Collard Greens (cut into roughly ½inch strips)

Salt & Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste (sugar can be added as well to sweeten if you like)

For the Caramelized Onions:

8 Strips of Thick-Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon, Cut into Cubes or Lardons

1 Large Vidalia Onion, Thinly Sliced

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

¼C Finely Chopped Garlic

Directions:

1. Preparing the Collards: Melt the butter or bacon fat in a deep pot over medium heat. Once it is hot, add in the minced onions and garlic. Sauté the veggies until they start to become translucent and caramelized (without burning them). This should take about 3-5 minutes. Meanwhile, using a sharp serrated knife, slash the four smoked ham hocks. This will help extract the maximum amount of flavor from the meat, fat, and bones. Now that the onions and garlic have cooked, add in the slashed ham hocks and cover with the chicken stock (at least by an inch over the hocks), water, pickled jalapeno juice, and maple syrup. Stir and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
2. For the First Cooking Portion: Next, add in the hot sauce, vinegars, soy sauce, Worcestershire, grainy mustard, chicken base, and diced tomatoes. Bring this mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to simmer the potlikker liquid for an hour. While they reduce, make sure to strip, wash, drain, and chop the cleaned collard greens. Set them aside.
3. Shredding the Ham Hocks: After it has cooked down for the required period of time, remove the ham hocks from the liquid to a cutting board. Let them cool slightly, and then shred off any ham meat from the smoked ham hocks (discarding any fat pieces, cartilage, or bone). Place the meat into a bowl and save them to add in at the end of cooking.
4. For the Second Cooking Portion: At this time, whisk in the garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes. Throw in the prepared collard greens, making sure to push them down with a cooking spoon, so that all of them are submerged in the potlikker. Reduce the heat to low and cook the greens down, covered, for roughly an hour to an hour and a half (60-90 minutes). Throughout the cooking process, make sure to stir them every so often, that way they will wilt evenly.
5. Tasting and Seasoning the Collards: Now that the second cooking period is finished, taste & season with additional salt, pepper, and possibly sugar as needed (or really any other ingredient that is listed in my recipe). The flavoring is purely up to your tastes! If the potlikker broth is too rich, add more water to dilute it.
6. For the Caramelized Onions & Garlic Chips: In a large sauté pan, over medium-high heat, cook the bacon pieces or lardons down until all the fat has rendered and the meat is crispy. Strain the crispy bacon onto a paper towel lined plate and leave them alone while you finish your other tasks. Add the sliced onion into the hot bacon grease (if you need more fat, you can add a little here too). Caramelize or fry the onion slices until they are just starting to turn light golden brown, but still have some texture to them. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the sautéed onions and add them into the collard green pot. With the remaining fat in the pan, reduce the pan to medium-low heat and fry the finely chopped garlic until just lightly toasted, crunchy, and fragrant. During this portion, do not leave the garlic alone; they can burn quite quickly and need to be stirred frequently. This should only take a few minutes (it all depends on their color).
7. Serving the Collards: Since all of the steps have been completed, it is now time to serve the greens for eating. Spoon the warm collards into large serving dish, making sure to include some of the potlikker liquid as well.  To finish the dish, garnish the top with a sprinkle of crispy bacon lardons and fried garlic chips. These toppings give off amazing flavor, and more importantly, texture! Serve with more pepper vinegar, red pepper flakes, and cornbread for your guests at the table.

Creamed Collard Greens with Bacon, Crispy Shallots, & Parmesan Cream Sauce

Creamed Collard Greens with Bacon, Crispy Shallots, & Parmesan Cream Sauce

Easter is this weekend, and I'm sure some of you have already ordered y'all's Honey Baked Ham or bought a whole bunch of colorful plastic eggs for the traditional Easter egg hunt. Between the cute pastel colors, a fluffy bunny, and dressing up in your Sunday's best, it is obvious that this is a big holiday in the South. And it doesn't hurt that Easter has the best candy, there's no debating that. We never had the same meal for Easter each year, like Thanksgiving or Christmas, it was always rotating between classic comfort food dishes and things we were just craving. However, there was always a glazed ham and a homemade carrot cake. And now, I'll add the Creamed Collard Greens to the list... similar to creamed spinach, just with a Southern twist. I whipped up my recipe for my favorite collard greens that are cooked with smoked ham hocks, aromatics, and some spice. Certainly you could just make those and any family would be happy. But, how can you say no to a side dish that is effortlessly comforting and creamy... then topped with bacon and my ultimate favorite, crispy shallots. Crispy shallots make the world go round, get on board. When in doubt, add shallots, that have been crispified. The whole dish is brought together with delightful cream sauce that is loaded with parmesan cheese. I baked the creamed collards in a dish until they were hot and bubbly, then all you have to do is just throw the shallots on top, and serve it on up. Don't discriminate with these creamy collards either, these would be a hit at the Thanksgiving table. So go on y'all, make this side dish because we know they are wayyyyyy better than boring 'ole creamed spinach!! Enjoy :)

crispy shallots are the key to side dish success.

oh-so-creamy

For the Southern Style Collards:

2lbs Chopped Collard Greens (cut into ½inch strips)

4 Smoked Ham Hocks

Chicken Stock, To Cover (I used about 1-2 Quarts)

Sea Salt, Fresh Cracked Pepper, & Sugar, To Taste

1C Sweet Onion, Chopped

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

3T Hot Sauce

2T Pepper Vinegar

1T Soy Sauce + 1T Worcestershire

2T Reserved Bacon Fat

2T Grainy Mustard + Chicken Base

Red Pepper Flakes, Optional

For the Creamed Collards:

Prepared Cooked Collards (with leftover shredded ham from the cooked hocks)

5 Strips of Thick Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon, Cut into Lardons

1 Shallot, Minced

3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

3T Bacon Fat or Melted Butter

3T AP Flour

1t Paprika

½t Cayenne, White Pepper, & Onion Powder

2C Whole Milk + 2C Heavy Cream

1C Parmesan, Freshly Grated 

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Crispy Shallots:

4 Large Shallots, Thinly Sliced

½C Buttermilk + 2T Hot Sauce

AP Flour, For Coating

Vegetable Oil, For Frying

Directions:

1. For the Southern Style Collards: Slash the four ham hocks lightly with a knife. Put in a large stockpot and cover them with chicken stock, plus about an inch. Add the salt, pepper, sugar, onion, garlic, hot sauce, and pepper vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for an hour. While the ham hocks are simmering, strip, wash, drain and chop the collards and set aside. Once it has reduced, remove the ham hocks from the liquid onto a large cutting board. Shred the ham meat off of the bones and placing it into a bowl (be careful to make sure you disregard any fat pieces or bone). Next, add the collard greens, bacon fat, soy sauce, Worcestershire, grainy mustard, and chicken base. Cook the greens down, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 30 to 45 minutes if you like them firmer; 1-1/2 to 2 hours, if you like them more cooked down, stirring occasionally. Taste, season with additional salt and pepper as needed; sprinkle with dried pepper flakes, if desired. Now, strain the collards from their cooking liquid and place them into the bowl with the ham pieces. Stir together to combine. Set aside while you make the cream sauce.
2. For the Creamed Collards: Heat a little bit of oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, 5-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain and set it aside. Drain all but 3 tablespoons bacon drippings from pot, adding butter if needed to measure 3 tablespoons Add the minced shallots and bacon, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add flour and paprika; stir constantly for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and cream; bring to a boil, whisking often. Mix in the Parmesan cheese. Stir in greens and ham; reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring often, until greens are tender and sauce thickens, about 30 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the crispy bacon lardons. Season to taste with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a serving dish and garnish with crispy shallots (and some extra bacon if you like).
3. For the Crispy Shallots:In a mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and hot sauce until combined. Add in the thinly shaved shallots and toss them in the spicy milk mixture until they are thoroughly covered. Let these onions soak for roughly an hour. When you are ready to fry, heat some vegetable oil up to 350 degrees. While the oil is heating, drain the shallots from the milk, and then lightly coat them in some AP Flour, shaking well to remove any excess flour. Fry the shallots in the hot oil, in small batches, until they are crispy & golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Once cooked, strain from the oil onto a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with some salt. Repeat with the remaining shallots. After they have all been fried, top the creamed collards with the crispy shallots for an extra crispy topping!

Revamped: The Most Ridiculous Blackened Cajun Shrimp & Pimento Cheese Grits with Tomato-Tabasco-Andouille Gravy, Collard Green Pesto, Crispy Soft Poached Egg, & Candied Bacon

Welp, we're saving the best for the last. This will be the last "new" recipe for the year. I can't believe it's almost been a year since I started this blog. So crazy to me. I will be posting a list of our top ten favorite recipes from 2011 tomorrow, so please tune in to see what we loved the most. Anyway, back to this delicious meal that we made. I really can't put into words how much we are obsessed with it. I had made Shrimp & Pimento Cheese Grits in my first month of blog, and this new recipe kicks that recipe out the window if anyone is concerned. I added a bunch of different components that just makes it a knockout. This revamped version of shrimp & grits features blackened cajun shrimp, pimento cheese grits, tomato-tabasco-andouille gravy, collard green pesto, a crispy soft poached egg, and candied bacon. And if you are in culinary shock right now, you read the whole sentence correctly, it wasn't a dream. I know it's the most bizarre combination of ingredients, but it all comes together amazingly. I mean can this dish get any more Southern? I don't think so. The crispy soft poached egg was the game-changer for sure. I perfectly poached an egg, breaded it in panko, and then fried it until golden brown & crispy on the outside. But the glory of it all... when you cut into the center, the egg yolk is still deliciously runny. Next up, the tomato-tabasco-andouille gravy would be amazing on just about anything, I'm thinking about topping some homemade biscuits with it next. And for the collard green pesto (similar to a spinach pesto), it's acidity proves to be spectacular in balancing with all of the other creamy & spicy components. I can't wait to top some bread or chicken with this stuff. And don't forget the candied bacon, this was possibly the most important addition because it adds an unbelievable sweetness to the dish that can not be missed!! So please, I beg of you, make this. Make it on a birthday or celebration, make it for your husband, or just make it on a Wednesday night for all I care. Just make it. Because it is hands down the most delicious meal that we have ever had. It's so worth the heart attack in the future!! Enjoy :)

Here are the changes (if I lost you in my description):
1. I used a blackening cajun spice blend on the shrimp to make it extra-spicy
2. I used high-quality stone ground grits that are thick & hearty (I prefer Anson Mills' Grits)
3. I made a Southern tomato gravy with tabasco & andouille that adds a nice creaminess and heat
4. I made a collard green pesto that gives the dish some balance
5. I soft-poached an egg, and then breaded it & fried it until crispy and golden brown (uh-may-zing)
6. I garnished the plate with candied bacon and fresh chopped chives

Here's the view from the top!!

Blackened Cajun Shrimp, Pimento Cheese Grits, Tomato-Tabasco-Andouille Gravy, Collard Green Pesto, Crispy Soft Poached Egg, Candied Bacon, & Fresh Chopped Chives

Don't forget the candied bacon garnish... it's crucial!!

The Most Ridiculous Shrimp & Grits with Crispy Soft Poached Egg (look at that runny yolk)

For the Candied Bacon:

8 Strips of Thick Applewood Smoked Bacon

2t Light Brown Sugar (per slice of bacon)

For the Collard Green Pesto:

5C Fresh Collard Greens, Washed & Chopped

3 Cloves of Garlic

¼C Pecans, Toasted

½C Olive Oil

1/3C Parmesan Cheese, Grated

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Tomato-Tabasco-Andouille Gravy:

1 (15oz) Can of Diced Tomatoes

1T Onions, Finely Chopped

4oz Chopped Pimentos

1C Chicken Stock

½C Butter or Rendered Fat (I used Andouille fat)

½C Andouille Sausage, Cut into Small Cubes

½C AP Flour

1C Half & Half

¼C Tabasco Hot Sauce

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Crispy Soft Poached Egg:

1Q Water

1 ½t White Vinegar

1T Salt

4 Fresh Eggs

¼C AP Flour

¾C Panko

Canola Oil, For Frying

Salt, For Sprinkling 

For the Pimento Cheese Grits:

3C Chicken Stock

1 ½C Heavy Cream

1C Stone Ground Grits

2T Butter

1C Pimento Cheese

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Blackened Cajun Shrimp:

1 ½lbs Wild Georgia Shrimp, Peeled & Deveined

2t Cajun Seasoning

1t Paprika

1t Dried Italian Seasoning

Fresh Black Pepper

For Garnishing:

Crispy Candied Bacon Lardons

Prepared Tomato-Tabasco Gravy

Crispy Soft Poached Eggs

Prepared Pimento Cheese Polenta

Blackened Cajun Shrimp

Fresh Chopped Chives

Directions:

1. For the Candied Bacon: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the strips of bacon on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. Sprinkle each slice of bacon with 2t of brown sugar. Bake for 12-16 minutes. Midway, flip the bacon over and drag them through the dark, syrupy liquid that’s collected on the baking sheet. Continue to bake until it is as dark as mahogany. Remove from the oven and cool the strips on a wire rack. Once the bacon is cool and crisp, chop into cubes.
2. For the Collard Green Pesto: Cook the greens in boiling water for 3-4 minutes or until tender. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process, and then drain well. Process the garlic and pecans in a food processor until finely ground. Add the greens, oil, cheese, salt & pepper, and ¼C water. Pulse into smooth. Set it aside. 
3. For the Tomato-Tabasco Gravy: In a small pot, sauté the sausage on medium heat until all the fat has been rendered. Drain the sausage onto a plate, and then add the chopped onions to the fat and cook until tender. Whisk in the flour and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Slowly pour the stock, while constantly whisking, until smooth. Add the tomatoes and its’ juices and chopped pimentos. Stir in the half & half and Tabasco hot sauce and let it simmer for 5-15 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.
4. For the Crispy Soft Poached Eggs: Pour 1 quart of water into a saucepan that holds about 1.5 quarts. Add the vinegar and salt and heat the water to 205 to 208 degrees. (If you don't have a thermometer, bring the water just to a boil and then turn the heat down so that the bubbling stops. If the water is boiling when the eggs go in, the egg whites will tend to fly apart). Meanwhile, place a fine strainer over a custard cup, small ramekin or bowl. Crack one egg into it and let the egg sit, undisturbed, for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the strainer (with the egg still in it) and pour out any accumulated thin white from the cup. Carefully tip the egg into the cup. Repeat with the other egg and another cup. (If you have two small strainers, you can do the two eggs simultaneously). When the water is hot, tip the eggs, one at a time, into the pan. This works best if you place the lip of the cup right at the surface of the water and tip it quickly so the egg goes in all at once. The eggs will sit at the bottom of the pan for a minute or so, then start to bob toward the surface. For barely set whites and runny yolks, cook the eggs about 3 ½ minutes, depending on the temperature of the egg. If your eggs have been out of the refrigerator just long enough to strain, they'll still be cool. If they're at room temperature, then 3 minutes may be enough time. Check the first egg at 3 minutes. If the white around the yolk still looks translucent, give it an additional 30 seconds. Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and, if desired, drain very briefly on a paper towel. (If the egg sits on the paper towel more than a couple of seconds, it may stick. Set up a battering station. I use 3 pie tins. For the first station, I mix the flour. For the second station, I whisk the eggs together. For the third station, use the Panko breadcrumbs. Now, place the soft poached eggs into the flour mixture, then into the egg wash, and finally the panko (making sure they are completely covered, but still doing it softly with your hands). In a medium sauté pan, heat about 2 inches of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil has heated, fry the goat cheese medallions for 45 seconds to 1 minute until golden-brown & crispy on all sides. Place them onto a baking sheet & sprinkle with salt.
5. For the Pimento Cheese Grits: Bring the chicken stock and heavy cream to a boil. Add in the stone ground grits in a thin stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes (adding salt & extra liquid if needed). When the polenta is done, whisk in the butter and pimento cheese. Season with salt and pepper, and serve with the shrimp. Keep the grits warm in the pot while you prepare the other components. 
6. For the Blackened Cajun Shrimp: In a small bowl, mix together all of the seasonings until combined. Toss the shrimp in spice mixture until coated. In a large sauté pan, melt some butter or oil. Add the seasoned shrimp and cook until just done and still tender (don’t overcook). Remove the shrimp from the sauté pan and set them aside on a plate until ready to serve.
7. Assembling the Shrimp & Grits: Scoop some of the pimento cheese polenta into a deep bowl, and then spoon the Tomato-Tabasco gravy around the outside edge (surround the outside of the polenta). Place the crispy soft poached egg on top and in the center of the polenta and scatter some of the blackened Cajun shrimp around it. Garnish with the candied bacon pieces and fresh chopped chives. Serve warm and enjoy!!