Southern/Soul Food

Number of Servings:  4 Ingredients:  Barbecued Shrimp 2 lbs Ocean Garden® Mexican Shrimp - 26/30 IQF P&D 3 tbsp Cajun Blackening Seasoning 3 tbsp Barbecue Spice ½ cup Pomace Olive Oil Grits 3 cups Chicken Stock ¾ cup Quaker Quick Grits dash Salt 8 oz Smoked Peppered Bacon, chopped 1 medium Onion, chopped fine 2 tbsp Chopped Fresh Garlic 1 cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese ½ cup Grated Fresh Parmesan Tasso Gravy ½ cup Butter 1 cup Tasso, sliced thin ½ cup Flour 1 tbsp Barbecue Spice ½ cup Half & Half 2 tbsp Chopped Parsley Instructions:  Season shrimp with blackening spice & barbecue spice. Heat large skillet till very hot over high flame, add oil and carefully add raw seasoned shrimp and toss quickly to blacken shrimp. When just done, remove to plate and set aside. In same skillet, add butter and Tasso and sauté for approximately 5 minutes over medium heat. Add flour and spice and stir to form a roux, continue to cook till roux is lightly browned and nutty in aroma. Add chicken stock & cream and stir till completely thickened; adjust thickness as needed with a little more cream if needed. When sauce is complete, add shrimp & parsley to sauce and hold warm till ready to serve. For the grits, sauté onions & bacon in skillet till caramelized and deeply browned, add garlic at the last to prevent garlic from burning. Place chicken stock in sauce pan and bring to a rapid boil, add grits and cook while stirring continuously till thickened. Remove from the heat and add cooked bacon & onions along with any pan juices and stir in cheddar cheese & parmesan. Adjust seasonings with salt & black pepper. To assemble, place a generous amount of grits in center of serving plate or bowl and top with creamy Cajun barbecued shrimp & Tasso gravy. Garnish with chopped scallions & a little extra cheddar cheese. Source: Courtsey of Ocean Garden and Chef Devin Levine CEC, Southern Hills Country Club in Oklahoma