Shrimp & Grits with Pancetta

Shrimp & Grits with Pancetta - I got this recipe idea from a restaurant in Wilmington - Thank you Christopher & Tori. The pictures are not in order...something I have to work on .... getting things done in the correct order..i.e. Glass, Gin, Ice, than than Gin, Gin, Gin.

Fried up some Pancetta (pic1), then set it aside, use the grease to make a roux (pic4), added chicken stock (pic3) to the roux when it was dark enough - I was aiming for a dark brown sauce for the grits. Grits...cooked them on the side and added some shredded Gouda cheese (pic5). I let them simmer and slightly cool. Shrimp and Grits need thick grits..if not, the plate looks like you put a soup on top of a different soup...and who wants to eat Grits Soup??!!  No one.

Back to the Roux...Once the chicken stock was in and I had a sauce, I added mushrooms (pic6) and some chopped vegetables (peppers, scallions, garlic). This cooked down until the vegetables were soft. Then I added peeled and dev'd shrimp for a few minutes. The shrimp stay softer when cooked in a liquid and I don't worry as much about them drying out. When it looked "done", I spooned some grits in a bowl and added my shrimp sauce...YUM!