Shrimp and Goat Cheese Grits with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Yesterday was a perfect day in Denver.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous.  Sunny, not too hot, not too cold.  This gave me sudden inspiration to invite some friends over for an impromptu dinner party. I planned the perfect meal - centered around a great recipe for beef short ribs from Cook's Illustrated that one of my attendings recommended.  Just as I'd filled my grocery cart with everything I would need for this I got a call from one of my guests who reminded me it was a Friday in Lent and she couldn't eat meat.  Should have thought of that before spending an hour and way to much money at Target....but I made it work.

I quickly shifted gears and came up with this shrimp dish I'd been wanting to try anyway.  It was great.  It's from a cookbook called Tupelo Honey Cafe, a cookbook made by the restaurant of the same name in Asheville, NC.  Finn got it for me at SXSW when he was in Austin a few weeks ago.  I was inspired to try making shrimp and grits after having them at Venue last week.  Warning that this is a little spicy, although I am a complete wimp when it comes to spicy things.  I would maybe use a little less cayenne pepper in the creole spice mix next time, although the creamy goat cheese in the grits was enough to make it okay.  The mild flavored grits are a perfect combination with the spicy shrimp.  I served it with a salad of romaine lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, and a light walnut oil and white wine vinegar dressing.  For dessert I made Gwyneth's blueberry pavlova from my favorite cookbook, My Father's Daughter (which, btw, has been in the news lately - have you seen it?  No offense Gwyneth, you're a gorgeous woman, but you kind of look like a weird skinny alien when you skyped in to the Rachael Ray Show - did she wake you up out of bed or something?  As Mama Gail would say, at least put on some lip gloss.  I think I'd maybe be just as upset with Huffington Post for posting that horrible photo!).  We had moscow mules when they got there and white wine with dinner.  We ate on the balcony, with a great view of Denver all lit-up in front of us.  It was fabulous.

I warn you that if you're making this for guests, don't actually start cooking until they get there.  It seriously takes less than 10 minutes to make if all of the ingredients are out and ready.  I had everything prepped and ready to go (including the Creole spice) but didn't start cooking it until everyone was here and sipping moscow mules.  I recommend making the shrimp part first and the grits second.  Also, I apologize for forgetting to take a photo....I'll make it again and post one later!

Shrimp and Goat Cheese Grits with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce*

2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound large uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed (I like buying the frozen uncooked shrimp that's already peeled and deveined - warning:don't buy the precooked shrimp - I've learned the hard way that the texture is horrible when you heat it up.  Also, buy jumbo if possible - the bigger the better!  I just thawed it in cold water for 20 minutes before using it)  

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 cup thinly sliced roasted red bell pepper (I bought the kind that comes in the jar that's already roasted - if you're adventurous you could try roasting your own)

2 tablespoons Creole Spice (see recipe below)

1/4 cup dry white wine (I used sauvignon blanc)

3 tablespoons unsalted cold butter (I reduced it down to 2)

Goat Cheese Basil Grits (see recipe below)

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on high heat.  Add the shrimp and garlic and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the shrimp begins to turn a little pink.  Add the bell peppers and Creole spice and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the peppers are heated through.  Add the wine and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the shrimp turns pink.  Remove from the heat and add the butter, swirling the pan to combine all the liquids. Serve the shrimp over the grits and top with the warm sauce left in the skillet.  Makes 4 servings.

Creole Spice 

1 tablespoon sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt 

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon white pepper

Combine the ingredients and enjoy!  (makes 1/4 cup, which is more than you'll need for the shrimp recipe)

Goat Cheese Basil Grits

3 cups water

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/4 cups quick-cooking grits
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons cream

4 ounces goat cheese

2 tablespoons chopped basil, for garnish

In a heavy saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil over high heat.  Stir in the grits and butter and brong back to a boil.  Add the cream and decrease to low, simmering for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is creamy and thick.  Remove the pan from the stove and whisk in the goat cheese until melted.  Garnish with the basil.  Makes 4 servings.

*from the Tupelo Honey Cafe Cookbook, by Elizabeth Sims with Chef Brian Sonoskus.  Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2011.  

Photo courtesy of Crystal Bickoff.

Second Home

This blog post is long overdue - I went to Second Home for 5280 Restaurant week and have been meaning to tell you about it!  It was fantastic.

First of all, I love Second Home for its atmosphere.  I love the bar as well as the fire pit outside - and it always seems to be filled with people.  I love the decor, as it's modern yet warm.  I loved it for Restaurant Week because I was able to order dishes that are on their regular menu so I felt like I was getting a deal for my $26.40.  Plus I was there with my friend Julie, one of my favorite friends to dine with!

I started with the bacon + eggs,  which was house made gnocchi, pancetta, parmigiano cream, and a soft poached egg.  The presentation was lovely and the dish was delicious.  The gnocchi were soft and perfect for dipping into the sauce and soft egg yolk.  I would definitely order this again.

The Seared Organic Scottish Salmon was incredible.  The salmon was perfectly cooked - flaky and tender on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside.  The herb butter was delish, as was the creamy farro.  I think this was my first time to have farro.  It's an awned wheat that is boiled until soft but still just a little crunchy.  It worked with the salmon.  I would go to Second Home again just to have this - I loved it!

For dessert, I had the caramel apple cheesecake.  I was stuffed by the time this came around, so I ended up having a bite and taking the rest home.  It was good.  Julie, however, had the warm oatmeal cookie that was served in a cast iron skillet with vanilla ice cream.  I would recommend getting the cookie over the cheesecake, as it was amazing (how could it not be?).

Venue

Finn and I had a delightful early dinner at Venue on Saturday.  It's a great little neighborhood restaurant in the Highlands that features seasonal dishes and good wine.  I would describe the food as comfort food that has been a little dressed up.  We sat outside and enjoyed perfect weather and fantastic people-watching, as it was St. Patty's Day and the sidewalks were filled with people in green.

We started out with a glass of champagne, which went perfectly with our first course of shrimp and grits (my favorite dish of the night!) and a lovely charcuterie tray. The white grits on top of the thai chili was a perfect combination.  I also really enjoyed the pickled cauliflower on the charcuterie tray.

For a main course I had the beef short ribs, Finn had the stuffed trout.  While they were both good, I thought the beef was better (not that we were competing or anything...).  I was especially impressed with the house cab, which was a great complement to the beef.

I wasn't super excited about the dessert menu - nothing really jumped out at me - but did enjoy the butterscotch pudding.  It was thick and creamy and the accompanying whipped creme fraiche, candied almonds, and dried cherries were a nice touch.   

Reserve Venue for a nice day and sit on the patio.  And order the shrimp and grits!

Frittata

Frittata is a super easy yet impressive breakfast or brunch dish - I love making this for overnight guests, as it feels kind of special.  The other great thing about it is that I can almost always make it without needing to go to the store, as you can put just about anything in it.  I always make mine in my cast iron skillet.  I think it's 10 inches.  It serves 2-4 people, depending on how hungry you and your guest(s) are.

Frittata 
Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1/4 green pepper, chopped
handful of cherry tomatoes, cut in half (I think I used about 6)
5 eggs
1/8 cup half and half or milk (I don't recommend skim)
2 tablespoons water
salt and pepper to taste
Salsa for topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Oil a cast iron skillet with extra virgin olive oil, a few turns of the pan.  Add onion and pepper and sauté over medium heat until onions begin to look translucent.  Add a few twists of freshly cracked pepper.  Add the tomatoes and sauté a just few minutes longer.  Turn the heat down to low.
Crack eggs and whisk them in a medium sized bowl with the half and half and water.  Pour over the veggie mixture.  Turn heat back up to medium and cook for 5 minutes, without stirring, until just set on the edges.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Turn off the heat and place in the oven.  Cook for 8 minutes, until just set throughout.  Top with salsa if desired.  Enjoy!

other filling ideas:
-cheese is always a great addition!  Sprinkle it on top after adding the egg mixture.
-crumbled bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, and goat cheese
-basil, tomato, and smoked mozzarella
-veggie sausage (I'm kind of obsessed with Morningstar Farms maple-flavored veggie sausage - try it!), green onion, red peppers
-leeks and gruyere cheese
.....you get the idea...can't go wrong...