Kitchens Are Monkey Business: Lunch At The Hawthornes'. Psst! We're Having Shrimp. And Shrimp.

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Lunch At The Hawthornes'. Psst! We're Having Shrimp. And Shrimp.

Today, we’re having shrimp. And more shrimp.
And instead of writing the recipes straight down, I’m going to give you the step-by-step, convoluted way I made lunch for us today. In real time.
As I said, it’s shrimp. Youngest Hawthorne wanted shrimp and grits. And I wanted some kind of shrimp soup.

I had a 16 or so ounce package of some really nice shrimp which I peeled and de-tracted. Yes, I say de-tract not de-vein because that black line running down the back of the shrimp is the digestive tract, not a vein. Save all the shrimp shells. They’ll be going into a shrimp stock for my soup.

For the stock, in addition to the shrimp shells, I have a carrot, some celery, and some onion. Don’t bother peeling either the carrot or the onion. Just coarsely chop the celery, carrot, and onion.

Shrimp shells, chopped onion, carrot, celery, and some bay leaves all went into a pan.

Cover with water.

Bring to a boil, then cut the heat to low and let it bare-simmer for about 40 minutes.

Here’s my stock after 40 minutes. I just cut off the heat and let it set while I started on the next step.

Now, I’m switching over to the shrimp and grits.
(I told you I’m cooking in real time today. Everything’s in the order I did it.)

For the shrimp and grits, I chopped up some red and orange peppers I picked from my deck garden. Chopped up a little onion. And sliced some hot sausage.

I seasoned my shrimp with Togarashi seasoning. It’s got chile peppers, black and white sesame seeds, and lemon and orange zest in it.

The grits were leftover from breakfast. And by the way, if you can find them, try Lakeside grits. They're my favorite. I just added a bit more grits to them, some more water, cooked 'em some more, then added some cheddar cheese and butter. I don't think there's such a thing as "too much" cheese or butter, so add what you want. Heated them up until juuuuust riiiiight. Taste test!

You want them a little runny.

Now, in a medium skillet, I heated up about a tablespoon each oil and butter, until the butter was just turning brown.

Then I added in the sliced sausage.

This is the sausage I happened to have.
Kielbasa or andouille would do just fine.

Slightly brown the sausage on each side.

Like this.

Then I added in the shrimp.

Cook about 75 seconds on one side.

Then turn the shrimp over and...

...add in the onion and peppers.

Cook about another minute.
Until shrimp is just done.

Pour some grits on your plate and top with shrimp, sausage, onion, and peppers.

The Hawthornes were quite happy with my shrimp and grits.
Nice creamy, cheesy, buttery grits.
Hot sausage. Spicy shrimp cooked to perfection.

My mouth is happy!

First course is done.
Next up is my shrimp soup

I finely chopped some onion, carrot, and celery.

I melted a little butter in my pan and added in the finely chopped onion, celery, and carrot.

Stir over medium heat for about two minutes.

Next, I added in a tablespoon of butter, let it melt, then sprinkled in about 3 tablespoons of flour.

Cook over medium heat, stirring, another two minutes, to cook the raw taste out of the flour.

The flour will help to thicken my soup.

Now, remember that nice shrimp stock?
We’re getting ready to use it now.

Pour in about 3/4 cup.

Slowly.

Stirring.

Medium heat.

Letting it thicken.

Then slowly pour in another 3/4 cup or so.

Stir and let thicken.

Maybe 3 minutes.
And it’s nice and thick.
Cut heat to low.

Next, drop in the Togarashi-seasoned shrimp.
As much as you’d like.

And add in about 1/2 cup cream.

Let shrimp cook about 2 minutes.

Then I poured in 1/4 cup sherry.
(I know that doesn’t look like sherry, but it is. I poured the sherry into the measuring cup that I used for the cream.)
Cook about another minute until soup is heated through and shrimp is just done.
Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.