Shrimp & Fresh/Roasted Corn Grits, Cajun Fried Okra

Let’s talk comfort food. Catch phrase or way of life? I chose the latter too! This here dish is a NOLA/Low Country classic. It IS comfort in a bowl. It will get you laid and/or paid! It will also make you want to have seconds, ignore the dishes, watch a good movie with a glass of wine, and fall into a slumber with dreams of marching bands battling in ‘Nawlins.

This is more of a shrimp creole but we can’t call it that or we’d piss off the entire state of LA. Sans tomatoes but with the inclusion of a roux, this is none other than a gravy. Or even a bastard gumbo. You want? Here it is ;)

INGREDIENTS:
For the Roasted Corn Grits:
3 ears of corn
1 tsp olive oil
shells from 1 lb fresh shrimp
2 tbsp butter
2 cups milk
2 cups water
1 tbsp salt
½ tbsp black pepper
1 cup stone ground grits

For the Okra:
3 cups vegetable or peanut oil
1.5 lbs okra
¾ cup flour
¾ cup cornmeal
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
¼ tsp cayenne
1 tsp cajun seasoning
2 eggs
1 tbsp milk

For the Shrimp:
½ tbsp vegetable oil
4 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb fresh shrimp
8 oz Smoked Ham diced in small cubes
1 medium onion small dice
1 green bell pepper small dice
2 celery stalks small dice
2 jalapeños small dice
2 Cloves Garlic minced
2 tsp cajun seasoning
2.5 TBSP Flour
4 stalks green onions
1 qt. cold chicken stock
4 TBSP Butter
1 Quart COLD Chicken Broth
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
Louisiana hot sauce to taste

For the Roasted Corn Grits:
Preheat oven to 425F. Shuck, wash, and dry the ears of corn. Coat lightly with olive oil and place in the oven. Turn the ears of corn to roast and color evenly. Remove and reserve once the corn is a golden brown. Allow to cool for 5 min and then remove the kernels with a knife.

Devein and peel the shrimp reserving the shells and tails. Thoroughly pat the shrimp dry using a paper towel and reserve. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a medium saucepan. Add the shells and tails and sauté until bright pink. Add in the milk & water and bring to simmer. Let simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Strain the shells/tails and return the liquid to the saucepan. Bring back to the boil and whisk in the grits, salt, and pepper. Cover, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 20 - 25 minutes stirring often until creamy and cooked through. To finish, fold in the roasted corn. Add in milk/water as necessary to loosen the mixture or cook further to thicken it’s texture.

For the Okra:
Heat the oil to 350F in a large saucepan. Wash, dry, and cut the okra into ½ in. slices. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, cayenne, and cajun seasoning. Next, whisk the eggs and milk together to create an egg wash. Coat the okra in the egg wash and then transfer to the flour/cornmeal mixture. Coat thoroughly and let sit for 5 min. To finish, fry until golden brown and remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain. Season with salt to taste while the oil is still hot.

For the Shrimp:
Add the vegetable oil and 1 tbsp butter to a large pan or cast iron skillet and set over high heat. Ensure the shrimp are fully dry. Season with salt and pepper and sear until golden on one side. Remove from the pan and reserve. Add in the remaining butter and melt. Once foaming, add in the diced ham. Brown until aromatic over medium heat.

Next, add in your holy trinity of onion, celery, green bell pepper, and jalapeño. Add in 2 tsp of cajun seasoning. Sweat the vegetables until translucent. Reduce to medium low and add in the garlic. Cook for 1 minute while stirring. Add in the flour. Mix it in throughly and cook over medium low for 2-3 minutes to cook out the raw flavor. Slowly add in the chicken stock while whisking to ensure there are no lumps. Add in the Worcestershire.

Bring to a simmer and check the consistency. Too thick? Add water. Too thin? Reduce it. Cook for roughly 10 minutes so that all the flavors develop. Add in hot sauce to taste and the shrimp. Simmer until the shrimp are just cooked through. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble, ladle a serving of grits into a warm bowl. Top with shrimp and sprinkle with gravy and okra. Garnish with green onions and a light dusting of cayenne.