Charleston Shrimp and Grits

When my in-laws were on their mission in South Carolina, Bart and I decided to take our 7-month-old, Hunter, out to meet them. (My dad was kind enough to give us some frequent flyer tickets to make the trip). We had a wonderful time with them, and they took us to a restaurant in Charleston, where I ate one of the best meals I've ever had. Of course, I can't get the exact recipe I had that day, but this one from the internet gets good reviews.

• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled, halved lengthwise, and deveined if you wish
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt or more to taste
• 1 1/2 c. stone-ground grits, not instant or quick-cooking
• 6 thick slices bacon, chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 c. thinly sliced scallions
• 2 Tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 c. chicken stock
• 1 to 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 c. (about 1/4 pound) grated medium to sharp Cheddar cheese
• Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce

Combine shrimp, lemon juice and a couple of generous splashes of hot pepper sauce. Let sit while you begin the grits and gravy.

Bring 6 c. of water and 1 tsp. salt to a boil in a large sauce pan.
Whisk in grits a few handfuls at a time. (They will bubble up initially.) Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook over low heat for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently toward the end.
While the grits simmer, get the gravy under way.

Fry bacon in medium skillet over medium heat until brown but still limp. Stir in onion, green pepper, and garlic and cook until the onion and pepper are limp, about 5 minutes. Add scallions, sprinkle the flour over the mixture, and sautee 5 minutes. Stir in stock and remaining salt and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat while you finish the grits.

When the grits are thick and creamy, stir in as much butter as you wish, followed by cheese. Add a splash of hot pepper sauce and additional salt if you like. Cover the grits while you finish the gravy.

Return the gravy to medium heat and stir in the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are opaque throughout, no more than 5 minutes. Serve immediately, mounding the grits in large shallow bowls or on plates and covering them with shrimp and gravy.

SERVES 4.

Gypsy Stew

My sister Karen Holyoak is really talented in the kitchen, and has a knack for finding recipes that use healthy foods in unexpected ways. For instance, this stew contains sweet potatoes and prunes. It is savory, though, and reminds me of Fall. It is one of the tastiest stews I have ever eaten!

4 Tbsp. olive oil

2 c. chopped onion

1/2 c. chopped celery

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1lb. stew meat

2 c. diced peeled sweet potatoes 

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. ground turmeric

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. salt

1 pinch ground cinnamon

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

3 c. chicken or beef stock

1 Tbsp. tamari 

1 c. chopped fresh tomato

1/2 c. chopped prunes

1/2 c. sliced carrots

1/2 c. sliced mushrooms

In the oil, sautee: onion, celery, garlic, stew meat, and sweet potatoes about 5-10 minutes, until meat is cooked through. Add seasonings and stir to blend. Then add stock and tamari, and cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes more.

Brian Burgers

These hamburger patties are named after my Dad. This is his explanation for them:

"Brian Burgers... it was my favorite recipe of how to doctor up hamburger so it tasted more like steak... lots of Worcestershireshireshire Sauce, onions, even fresh bread crumbs... salt, pepper... all mixed together and fried in a skillet...  a favorite after work/school snack if I was cooking for myself. Just concocted it one day, making modifications to what my Mom regularly cooked.  At least, that is how I remember it."

2 lbs. hamburger
oil to fry patties in
salt, to taste
1 onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
dash of barbecue spice
3 slices of bread
water

Break bread into small pieces. Soak the pieces in water, then squeeze the water out. Mix remaining ingredients (except for oil). Form the burger mixture into patties and fry them in the oil over medium heat, with a lid over them. Drain them well before serving.