3 T. butter, divided

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 ribs celery with green leafy tops, finely chopped

1 small green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

4 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme, intact

1 bay leaf, fresh or dried

Salt and black pepper

1 T. Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it

1 to 2 T. plus 2 tsp. hot sauce (recommended: Frank’s Red Hot), divided

2 T. all-purpose flour

1/2 C. beer, 1/3 of a bottle

3 C. chicken stock, divided

1 (14-oz.) can diced tomatoes

1 C. chopped frozen okra, optional

1 1/2 lb. peeled, deveined medium to large shrimp, tails removed

1 C. whole milk

1 C. quick cooking (sometimes marked “instant”) polenta

 

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and 1 T. butter. When butter melts into extra-virgin olive oil, add garlic, onions, celery, bell peppers, thyme, bay leaf then season with salt and pepper. Cook veggies 7 to 8 minutes until tender, add in the Worcestershire, 1 to 2 T. hot sauce (medium to spicy heat level) and the flour and cook 1 minute more then add in beer and cook it off, another 30 seconds or so. Whisk in 1 C. of stock then add tomatoes and okra, if using, and bring to a bubble. Add shrimp and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until shrimp turn pink and firm then turn off heat. Remove thyme stems and bay leaf.   Bring remaining 2 T. butter, 2 C. stock, 1 C. milk and 2 tsp. hot sauce, to a boil in a sauce pot. Stir in 1 C. quick cooking polenta. Stir constantly to mass the cornmeal. Once the mixture thickens to the consistency of whipped potatoes, season the “grits” with salt and divide among dinner plates.

 

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber: