Ingredients
- 3–4 strips thick smoky bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ onion, minced
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled (use peels to make stock)
- Salt
- 1 pint heavy cream, divided
- 2–2½ cups shrimp stock
- Butter
- Black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Paprika
- Chile flakes
- Lime juice
- 1 recipe coarse grain hominy grits, timed to finish when shrimp are ready to serve
- 3–4 scallions, sliced
Procedure
- Fry bacon in a pan until not too crisp; remove and reserve.
- Sauté onion and garlic in bacon fat until just softened (about 2–3 minutes).
- Lightly season shrimp with salt and add to the pan; sauté until about half-cooked and just turning pink. Remove and reserve with the bacon.
- Deglaze pan with sherry.
- Add 1 cup (250 ml) cream, bring to boil, and reduce.
- Add 1 cup shrimp stock, bring to a high simmer, and reduce. The liquid should thicken; if necessary, add floured butter at this point (beurre manié).
- Season sauce with salt, pepper, chili flakes, cayenne, and paprika
- Add bacon and shrimp to the sauce, and cook gently until shrimp are just done.
- Add lime juice.
- Serve over grits, and garnish with scallions.
Notes, tips, and variations
- Make the shrimp stock with shrimp peels and parts, dried shrimp flakes, mirepoix, and peppercorns.
- The scallions can be replaced with minced chives.