Shrimp and Grits, Soup and Bread: Comfort Food to Start the New Year

This is a new year that feels a bit stale from the start because of the sour taste lingering from the one it follows. That is, for those still with the ability to taste. We are all struggling to find balance and peace and renewal. In what felt like a fitting mistake today, I lopped off the wrong branch of my bonsai tree, not the one I was going for; the result was asymmetry, which was so hard to tolerate in the moment immediately after I made the cut, but then, as I sat with the discomfort for a minute and as I then considered butchering the other side of the tree (to match), I realized: this is life—things go and grow sideways, and we learn to live with it. (or we don’t). A cascading bonsai it now is. Things fall. Now whether they fall apart, I think that might be more of a choice?

I suppose I’m just happy to be living at all, even if it’s off-balance or at a limp for a while. To limping off the starting block of 2021! Comfort food at each of the water stops, please.

Cajun Peppered Shrimp & Grits

Makes 6-8 servings.

Recipe is adapted from Kay Ewing’s Cooking School Cookbook: The Final Course.

Grits:

2 cups water

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk

2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

1½ cups quick grits

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 ounces pepper jack cheese, cut up

Shrimp:

½ cup butter

¼ cup olive oil

3 pounds medium shrimp, peeled

1 clove garlic, pressed

1 cup chopped green onions

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon cayenne

½ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon basil, thyme and oregano

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Put water, broth and milk in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Stir constantly while adding salt and grits. Lower heat to medium, cover loosely and cook until grits thicken (3-4 minutes), stirring occasionally to keep from sticking.

2. Turn heat to low. Add butter and cheeses and cook until cheese melts.

3. For shrimp, melt butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and sauté just until pink. Stir in rest of ingredients, except French bread.

4. Lower heat, cover and cook 10 minutes. Mixture will be very thin.

5. Spoon grits into a shallow bowls and top with shrimp and sauce.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

As a sinful alternative, perhaps you may want to consider making these cheesy grits:

Creole Cream Cheese Grits

Adapted from The Times Picayune

1 ¼ cups water

2 cups chicken broth

½ tsp salt

1 cup stone ground grits

4 oz creole cream cheese

½ cup heavy cream

1 tsp granulated garlic

½ tsp black pepper

1 tsp herbs de provence

In a sauce pan, bring water and chicken broth to a boil. Slowly pour in grits until mixture becomes creamy (five min). Reduce heat to medium and stir in cream cheese and then heavy cream. Season with garlic, black pepper and herbs de provence. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

And nothing is more comforting in the winter than soup and bread.

Try this recipe for Butternut Squash Soup from the Soup and Bread Cookbook by Beatrice Ojakangas. The fennel, what a revelation. The pecan cream? oh my. And so many more soup possibilities!