BBQ Shrimp & Grits

Howie “Bulldog” Kleinberg got his nickname from the bold attitude he projected as a contestant on TV’s Top Chef. He fell in love with barbeque after spending summers in North Carolina as a boy. Now Kleinberg is cooking up hunks of meat at his very own BBQ restaurant—along with this southern comfort shrimp dish. It’s a classic “shrimp and grits” with a kick of Bulldog’s Best barbecue sauce and white cheddar cheese.

At a glance

Main Ingredient

Rice/Grains, Seafood

Cuisine Type

American

Menu Part

Entrée

Serves

Yield: 2

Ingredients

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 oz. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 oz. Bulldog’s Best barbecue sauce (or favorite of the house)
2 oz. chopped garlic, divided
2 oz. chopped shallots, divided
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup hominy grits
2 oz. white wine
4 oz. diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 oz. heavy cream
1 oz. butter
3 oz. white cheddar cheese, shredded
1 oz. chopped parsley
4 oz. sliced scallions

Methods/Steps

Combine shrimp with 1½ oz. olive oil and barbecue sauce. Set aside to marinate for 4 hr.
Heat large saucepan over med. heat. Add remaining 1 1/2 oz. olive oil, 1 oz. chopped garlic and 1 oz. shallots. Cook, stirring frequently, until translucent.
Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add grits; stir constantly until chicken stock is evaporated. Set aside.
Heat sauté pan over med. heat. Add shrimp with marinade; sauté until opaque.
Add remaining chopped garlic and shallots to shrimp mixture; cook until translucent.
Deglaze pan with white wine; add tomatoes, salt and pepper.
To finish grits, place saucepan over med. heat. Add heavy cream, butter, white cheddar, chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste; heat until cheese melts, stirring constantly.
For service, divide grits between two bowls and place shrimp on top. Garnish with sliced scallions.