Bar / Kitchen's Shrimp and Grits

Grits:

6 cups milk
1 cup stone-ground grits
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup grated parmesan

In a large saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. Slowly whisk in the grits to avoid any lumps. Stir in the salt and pepper.

Reduce the heat and simmer the grits, stirring occasionally, until they start to thicken, about 20 minutes. Stir in the cream, a little at a time. Gently simmer, stirring frequently to keep the grits from scorching, until the grits are softened and thickened, about 30 to 45 additional minutes. Slowly stir in the parmesan cheese. Taste, and adjust the seasoning if desired.

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Shrimp and grits:

2 tablespoons olive oil
12 to 16 large Mexican white shrimp (less than 15-per-pound count)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup minced Spanish chorizo Bilbao
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
4 teaspoons chopped white onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce, or similar hot sauce, more if desired
1/2 teaspoon Spanish paprika
3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
2 cups heavy cream
Prepared grits
Chopped chives, for garnish

Heat a large sauté pan over high heat and add the olive oil. Add the shrimp and sauté, searing the shrimp on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes (the shrimp will not be fully cooked yet). Remove the
shrimp to a plate.

Add the chorizo and cook for 30 seconds over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook just until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, onions and cilantro. Cook until the onions just begin to soften, about 1 minute. Stir in the lemon juice, white wine and Sriracha, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the paprika and season with three-fourths teaspoon salt and one-half teaspoon pepper, or to taste.

Stir in the cream and simmer for about 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Add the shrimp back to the pan and increase the heat to high. Continue to cook until the shrimp are just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste, and season if desired.

Divide the grits among four bowls or plates and top with the shrimp. Pour over the sauce, and garnish with chopped chives.

Makes 4-8 Servings

Golden Corral Asian Salad

Ingredients:
8 cups (approx. 1 or 2 heads) Romaine Lettuce, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup Asian Ginger Dressing
1 cup red grapes, fresh
1 cup mandarin oranges, from canned, drained
1/4 cup La Choy Rice Noodles

Prepping Lettuce, Oranges and Grapes:

Cut the core off two heads of Romaine lettuce. Remove any soiled or damaged leaves. Wash. Shake lettuce to remove excess water. Use a knife to cut leaves into 1 inch x 1 inch pieces. Measure 8 cups of cut lettuce.

Drain mandarin oranges.

Wash grapes. Remove grapes from stems.

Mixing Salad:

Just before serving, combine Asian Ginger Dressing and Romaine lettuce in large mixing bowl.  Lightly toss until Asian Ginger Dressing covers Romaine lettuce.

Top salad evenly with red grapes and mandarin oranges.

Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup of rice noodles.

Serves 2-4

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Asian Ginger Dressing

1 small clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
4 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon water

In a small jar or container with a tight fitting lid, combine the garlic, ginger, olive oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, and water. Cover container and shake well before serving.

Makes about 1/2 cup dressing.

Beef Piroshki

Ingredients:
Sour-cream pastry
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups finely chopped onions
1 pound ground beef
Salt, if desired
Freshly ground pepper
3 hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped, about one cup
1/4 cup finely chopped dill
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons water

Procedures:
1. Prepare the pastry and chill it.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Heat the butter in a skillet and add the onions. Cook, stirring, until the onions are wilted.
4. Add the beef and, using a heavy metal kitchen spoon, stir and chop down to break up any lumps in the meat. Cook until meat loses its raw look. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add the chopped egg and dill. Stir to blend. There should be about four cups. Remove to a mixing bowl and let cool.
6. Roll out the pastry as thinly as possible (less than one-eighth inch thick). Using a 3 1/2-to-5-inch cookie cutter, cut the dough into rounds. We used a 4-inch cookie cutter to produce 30 rounds. The dough will shrink after cutting. You may roll out the circles or rounds to make them larger or you may stretch them carefully by hand. Beat the egg with the water. Brush the top of each pastry round with the egg mixture.
7. Use about two tablespoons of filling for each circle of dough. Shape the filling into an oval and place it on half of the circle of dough. Fold the other half of the circle of dough over to enclose the filling. Press the edges of the dough with the fingers or the tines of a fork to seal. Brush the tops with egg mixture to seal.
8. Arrange the filled pieces on a lightly greased baking sheet.
9. Place in the oven and bake 25 minutes.

Yield 30 piroshki


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Sour-Cream Pastry

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups flour
Salt, if desired
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream

Procedures:
1. Put 3 1/4 cups of the flour, salt to taste, baking powder, butter, eggs and sour cream into the container of a food processor. Process until thoroughly blended.
2. If a food processor is not used, put the flour, salt to taste and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and cut it with two knives or a pastry blender until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. Using a fork, add the eggs and thoroughly blend.
3. Scrape the mixture out onto a lightly floured board and knead as briefly as possible, using as little flour as possible to make a smooth and workable dough.
4. Shape the dough into a flat cake and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill until ready to use.