BBQ Shrimp & Charred Corn-Goat Cheese Grits with Roasted Rainbow Cherry Tomatoes, Country Ham, & Red Eye Gravy

BBQ Shrimp & Charred Corn-Goat Cheese Grits with Roasted Rainbow Cherry Tomatoes,
Country Ham, & Red Eye Gravy

Sorry I haven't posted anything in like a week. We've been up at the mountain house since Thursday and we aren't coming back until Tuesday. But, I will try to post a recipe the next two days to make it up to y'all. Meanwhile, I'll keep enjoying the peace and quiet, along with bonfires, s'mores, fried chicken, pumpkin carvin', hikes, and spiked apple cider. Today, I decided to post a new Shrimp & Grits recipe because well, it's one of our favorites as y'all know. In fact, my these shrimp and grits are one of my favorites meals, ever. This time though, I wanted to make a kinda-sorta "brunch version" that would be perfect on a late Sunday morning. The grits are loaded with lots of good stuff... goat cheese, charred corn, and cream. And then, they are topped with a southern sauce called Red Eye Gravy, which gives the dish a nice acidity and sweetness. Also, we all know of my obsession with anything-roasted-tomato, so I piled the plate with some roasted rainbow cherry tomatoes. I decided to toss the shrimp in my favorite BBQ spice rub for a sweet & smoky taste, and it was perfect. And don't you forget to garnish with country ham, green onions, and a little more crumbled goat cheese for good measure!! Enjoy :)

For the Barbequed Shrimp:

1lb Wild Georgia Shrimp, Peeled & Deveined

Your Favorite BBQ Rub

Butter or Oil, For Sautéing

For Charred Corn-Goat Cheese Grits:

1C Stone-Ground Grits

1 ½C Heavy Cream

½C Milk

1 ½C Chicken Stock 

1C Fresh Corn, Grilled or Charred

6-8oz Creamy Goat Cheese, Room Temperature (plus extra for garnishing)

4T Unsalted Butter

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Roasted Rainbow Cherry Tomatoes:

2C Rainbow Cherry Tomatoes, Cut in Half

Olive Oil, For Drizzling

Salt & Pepper

Fresh Rosemary Sprigs

For the Red Eye Gravy:

4oz Thinly Sliced Country Ham, Cut into Pieces

1T of Reserved Fat (any fat can be substituted)

½C Coffee

¼C Coke

1T Maple Syrup (plus extra if you want it a little sweeter)

1 Beef Bouillon Cube

2T Unsalted Butter

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

A Splash of Water (it may be needed, this is optional)

For the Shrimp & Grits:

Prepared BBQ Shrimp, Cooked

Prepared Charred Corn-Goat Cheese Grits

Prepared Roasted Rainbow Cherry Tomatoes

Prepared Red Eye Gravy

Thinly Sliced Green Onions, For Garnishing

Crumbled Goat Cheese, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. For the BBQ Shrimp: Toss the shrimp in your favorite BBQ dry rub 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.

2. For the Charred Corn-Goat Cheese Grits: Bring heavy cream, milk and chicken stock to a gentle boil in a heavy saucepan. Add grits and reduce heat to medium low. Whisk occasionally at first, then whisk more frequently as the grits begin to thicken, watching carefully to make sure the bottom of the pot does not scald. Cook until the grits are thick and creamy, about 45 minutes to an hour. Add more liquid if you feel they are too thick, and continue cooking until desired consistency is reached. Season generously with salt and butter, adjusting to personal taste. Stir in the corn and goat cheese into the grits. Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve.

3. For the Roasted Rainbow Cherry Tomatoes: Preheat oven to 400 °. Toss tomatoes with olive oil and kosher salt and arrange on a sheet pan cut side up. Top the tomatoes with a few sprigs of rosemary. Cook for approximately one hour until they are soft, shriveling, and turning golden brown.

4. For the Red Eye Gravy: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the ham and renderuntil golden brown. Remove the ham from the pan and set aside on a plate and keep warm. To the pan, add the coffee, coca cola, and maple syrup and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the butterand the bouillon cubeand stir to incorporate. Reduce the sauce in half to thicken slightly. Taste the sauce and season with salt & pepper to taste and possibly a splash of water.

5. For the Shrimp & Grits: Scoop some of the Charred Corn-Goat Cheese Grits into a deep bowl, and then spoon on some of the Red Eye Gravy over the top. Add on the roasted rainbow cherry tomatoes and BBQ shrimp. Garnish with green onions, crispy country ham, and crumbled goat cheese. Enjoy immediately.