Monday night I made perhaps one of the best meals ever. And I am not just saying that because fire was involved. Care to venture a guess? No, not s'mores, not Baked Alaska, not Banana's Foster (yuck!). Care to make some Flaming Shrimp and Grits?First of all, do not be intimidated by the fire. This recipe is easy, showy, and does not take too long. Aaron loves grits, loves them, and I have yet to understand the appeal. But, I am learning to like polenta. They are close cousins, grits being in my mind white, bland, and blobular while polenta is yellow, savory, and smooth. The grits (really polenta) has a whole load of goodness - whole milk, butter, and cheddar cheese. The key here is not keeping the pot too hot. Not only do the grits dry out, it also creates its very own volcanic eruption of cornmeal magma. Low heat, whisking occasionally will keep it smooth and happy. Your unburnt forearms will thank you.
Now, to the fun part! After peeling and deveining the shrimp, throw them in a non-stick skillet for a minute or two. Turn off the heat, add two ounces of bourbon whiskey, and light those shrimp...with a long match or stick lighter. Turn the heat back on and keep tossing until the fire extinguishes itself. Add a little salt, pepper, and hot sauce, and place over the grits.
The whiskey does not create a sauce, but it cooks the shrimp through while retaining the moisture so you are not faced with rubber shrimp. Extremely flavorful and gosh darn fun!
Happy sixth lunaversary, Aaron!
