Recipe: The Noble South’s Shrimp and Grits

“If you’re trying to achieve the best tasting food, then it is essential to find superior ingredients. Gulf shrimp offer a robust, sweet flavor that isn’t found with any other shrimp, especially those which are imported. There are no regulations on what the imported shrimp can be fed, and the flavor reflects that. Gulf shrimp taste like the waters from which they are found, not like the imported shrimp which lack any discernible flavor. For a restaurant like ours that takes a great deal of pride in the ingredients which make it to the plate, there is truly no other option.” — Chris Rainosek, head chef at The Noble South

• Serving size: 4 bowls 
• Ingredients:
• 24 shrimp (size 21/25 per pound) headless, in shell
• 4 Medium sized fresh tomatoes
• 3 yellow onion
• 6 cloves garlic
• 4 stalks celery
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 poblano pepper
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1 Quart Shrimp Stock, see recipe
• 4 eggs, poached
• 1/8 C chopped parsley
• Salt & Pepper
• 6 cups water
• Grits:
• 2 Cups stone ground yellow grits
• 1/4 lb butter
• 1 C heavy cream
• 1 T tabasco
• Shrimp Stock: 
• the reserved shrimp shells
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 1 rough chopped onion
• 2 rough chopped stalks of celery 
• 2 bay leaves 
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1 sprig thyme

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cut tomatoes in half, then into wedges. Then rough chop one onion. Place cut tomato, onion, and 4 cloves of garlic onto a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper. Roast for 2 hours, stirring ingredients every 30 minutes.  

When finished, puree the tomato mixture until smooth. Next, prepare the shrimp. Remove the shells and set them aside for use in the stock. Then, remove the vein along the back from the shrimp. 

Next, prepare the shrimp stock. In a pot, place the reserved shrimp shells, 2 cloves garlic, 1 rough chopped onion, 2 rough chopped stalks of celery, bay leaves, tomato paste, and thyme into a pot. Bring mixture up to a boil, then down to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour, strain and reserve the stock.

Next, dice the remaining onion, celery, and poblano and set aside. Begin the grits by heating the water to a boil and slowly stirring in the grits. As grits begin to thicken, add cream, butter, and tabasco. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until thick, but creamy. Approx. 30 minutes. Keep warm until ready to plate. 

In a large pan, sauté diced vegetables until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Next, add tomato puree, and then the shrimp stock. Bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. Add shrimp and poach in the broth until cooked. Add the bacon. Add the chopped parsley. To plate, place grits into the bottom of a bowl. Spoon 6 shrimp and the tomato broth on top of the grits. Top with a poached egg, serve immediately.

The Noble South is located at 203 Dauphin St. in downtown Mobile.