chapel hill shrimp and grits
Where I live, there is a legend about Bill Neal's shrimp and grits. There are entire books about the chef and his recipe that defined a classic Southern dish. During his life, the lauded chef authored several cookbooks, more than one dedicated to Southern cooking and one entirely devoted to grits.
When Mr. Neal passed, the tradition continued, and his recipe became legendary. His restaurant, Crook's Corner (now led by Chef Bill Smith) is still a destination in Chapel Hill. I grew up going there. And the grits are delicious.
In North Carolina there are countless "original" shrimp and grits recipes floating around, and there are many more variations on the theme. What you might find is the dish is adaptable to your tastes, your family, your region of the country. It's personal. (We served it at our wedding!) The lesson is to make it your own.
Of the variations that hover near Chapel Hill, this one comes from my dad. It lives in my recipe box, folded in awkward quarters, and at the top boasts the title "Bill Neal's Shrimp and Grits." I don't know if it was ever the real thing. It's just a piece of paper. It doesn't matter. This is the one my family makes, with my adaptations, and it's my favorite.
Here's what you really need to know: this version calls for crispy bacon, fresh lemon juice, and cheesy grits. Real grits.
I take grits seriously, so I buy stone-ground grits, preferably in bulk or in a 2-lb cloth sack from a mill in North or South Carolina. Don't worry. They are surprisingly easy to find at upscale grocery stores, farmers markets, or you can order them online. It makes a world of difference to use the real thing. If you must, use quick-cooking grits. I strongly recommend against instant grits, which have a tendency to taste thin and watery, and are basically a different food entirely. Instead, try cooking the slow kind. It doesn't take all that long, and I've shared my method here.
Cook grits in a mixture of chicken broth, whole milk, and water, each liquid playing an important role in flavoring the grits. The result should be savory, creamy, but not too much. The ratio of liquid to slow-cooking grits is always 4:1. You should whisk or stir with a wooden spoon almost constantly while simmering to avoid scalding or burning, turning the heat down slightly as the mixture thickens. It takes about 20-25 minutes. When the grits have nearly come together, I add a mixture of parmesan, cheddar, and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Then keep warm.
I store leftover uncooked grits in an airtight container in the freezer, just because my mom said to do that, and I won't argue. If you have any, leftover cooked grits store well in the fridge for a day or two.
It's worth mentioning that when you are in Chapel Hill, you must go to Crook's Corner and sit outside on the patio for a frozen mint julep and jalapeno-cheddar hush puppies. For all its fame, it's still unpretentious. And if you're down the road in Durham, visit the group's new downtown nightlife venture, Alley Twenty-Six, which serves fancy drinks in a friendly space.
When you're cooking at home, I hope you'll enjoy my North Carolina version of shrimp and grits. The recipe follows.
Chapel Hill Shrimp and Grits
A family recipe inspired by Bill Neal and Bill Smith of Crook's Corner
For the grits
2 cups water
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup whole milk or half and half
1 cup stoneground grits
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce or cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
pinch salt
For the shrimp
4 bacon slices
1 pound shrimp, cleaned, peeled, and deveined
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sliced white mushrooms
3/4 cup chopped green onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1-2 lemons' worth)
1/4 teaspoon tabasco hot sauce
lemon wedges, for serving
First, cook the bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Drain on paper towels. When cool, crumble bacon and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings in the pan for cooking the shrimp later.
Next, cook the grits. As a rule of thumb, for every 1 cup grits, use 4 cups liquid. This makes 4 servings. If you want more, make more! Bring 2 cups water, 1 cup milk, and 1 cup chicken stock just to a boil in a medium-sized pot. Remove from heat long enough to whisk in grits. Return to heat and add a pinch of salt, whisking vigorously. Turn down heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until much of the liquid has been absorbed and grits no longer have a "bite," about 20 minutes. Stir in butter, cayenne pepper or dash hot sauce, and grated cheese. Cook about 5 more minutes to thicken. Taste to see if it needs more salt.
Sprinkle prepared shrimp with black pepper. Sprinkle the shrimp with flour and toss to coat in a large bowl.
In the pan with reserved bacon drippings, cook mushrooms over medium-high heat until lightly brown tender, about 5 minutes. Add green onions and cook 2 more minutes. Add garlic and stir, being careful not to burn. Add flour-coated shrimp. Cook about 4 minutes, tossing occasionally, turning shrimp until each is lightly brown.
Add chicken stock, lemon juice, and hot sauce to skillet. Stir and cook another 2 minutes, just long enough for the liquid and flour to cook into a sauce and the shrimp are cooked through.
Serve shrimp mixture over cheesy grits with crumbled bacon and lemon wedges.
When Mr. Neal passed, the tradition continued, and his recipe became legendary. His restaurant, Crook's Corner (now led by Chef Bill Smith) is still a destination in Chapel Hill. I grew up going there. And the grits are delicious.
In North Carolina there are countless "original" shrimp and grits recipes floating around, and there are many more variations on the theme. What you might find is the dish is adaptable to your tastes, your family, your region of the country. It's personal. (We served it at our wedding!) The lesson is to make it your own.
Of the variations that hover near Chapel Hill, this one comes from my dad. It lives in my recipe box, folded in awkward quarters, and at the top boasts the title "Bill Neal's Shrimp and Grits." I don't know if it was ever the real thing. It's just a piece of paper. It doesn't matter. This is the one my family makes, with my adaptations, and it's my favorite.
Here's what you really need to know: this version calls for crispy bacon, fresh lemon juice, and cheesy grits. Real grits.
I take grits seriously, so I buy stone-ground grits, preferably in bulk or in a 2-lb cloth sack from a mill in North or South Carolina. Don't worry. They are surprisingly easy to find at upscale grocery stores, farmers markets, or you can order them online. It makes a world of difference to use the real thing. If you must, use quick-cooking grits. I strongly recommend against instant grits, which have a tendency to taste thin and watery, and are basically a different food entirely. Instead, try cooking the slow kind. It doesn't take all that long, and I've shared my method here.
Cook grits in a mixture of chicken broth, whole milk, and water, each liquid playing an important role in flavoring the grits. The result should be savory, creamy, but not too much. The ratio of liquid to slow-cooking grits is always 4:1. You should whisk or stir with a wooden spoon almost constantly while simmering to avoid scalding or burning, turning the heat down slightly as the mixture thickens. It takes about 20-25 minutes. When the grits have nearly come together, I add a mixture of parmesan, cheddar, and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Then keep warm.
I store leftover uncooked grits in an airtight container in the freezer, just because my mom said to do that, and I won't argue. If you have any, leftover cooked grits store well in the fridge for a day or two.
It's worth mentioning that when you are in Chapel Hill, you must go to Crook's Corner and sit outside on the patio for a frozen mint julep and jalapeno-cheddar hush puppies. For all its fame, it's still unpretentious. And if you're down the road in Durham, visit the group's new downtown nightlife venture, Alley Twenty-Six, which serves fancy drinks in a friendly space.
When you're cooking at home, I hope you'll enjoy my North Carolina version of shrimp and grits. The recipe follows.
Chapel Hill Shrimp and Grits
A family recipe inspired by Bill Neal and Bill Smith of Crook's Corner
For the grits
2 cups water
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup whole milk or half and half
1 cup stoneground grits
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce or cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
pinch salt
For the shrimp
4 bacon slices
1 pound shrimp, cleaned, peeled, and deveined
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sliced white mushrooms
3/4 cup chopped green onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1-2 lemons' worth)
1/4 teaspoon tabasco hot sauce
lemon wedges, for serving
First, cook the bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Drain on paper towels. When cool, crumble bacon and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings in the pan for cooking the shrimp later.
Next, cook the grits. As a rule of thumb, for every 1 cup grits, use 4 cups liquid. This makes 4 servings. If you want more, make more! Bring 2 cups water, 1 cup milk, and 1 cup chicken stock just to a boil in a medium-sized pot. Remove from heat long enough to whisk in grits. Return to heat and add a pinch of salt, whisking vigorously. Turn down heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until much of the liquid has been absorbed and grits no longer have a "bite," about 20 minutes. Stir in butter, cayenne pepper or dash hot sauce, and grated cheese. Cook about 5 more minutes to thicken. Taste to see if it needs more salt.
Sprinkle prepared shrimp with black pepper. Sprinkle the shrimp with flour and toss to coat in a large bowl.
In the pan with reserved bacon drippings, cook mushrooms over medium-high heat until lightly brown tender, about 5 minutes. Add green onions and cook 2 more minutes. Add garlic and stir, being careful not to burn. Add flour-coated shrimp. Cook about 4 minutes, tossing occasionally, turning shrimp until each is lightly brown.
Add chicken stock, lemon juice, and hot sauce to skillet. Stir and cook another 2 minutes, just long enough for the liquid and flour to cook into a sauce and the shrimp are cooked through.
Serve shrimp mixture over cheesy grits with crumbled bacon and lemon wedges.