Shrimp and Grits and Tweens and Revolver

I got into Tweens last year. They are female fronted "trash pop" from Cincinnati and the album is just fun and I think the cover is especially cute. I've listened to this album a million times on Spotify but had never actually listened to the record we bought when we saw them at a live. "Be Mean" is my favorite song on the album which is good because we ended up listening to it twice since record started skipping for some reason we never determined. It came out in 2014 which was a good year for debut albums. For me, 2015 was kind of eh for me musicwise. The only two albums released in 2015 that grabbed me were by folks I already liked from their EP's...released in 2014, namely Bully and Vince Staples. We'll probably listen to those in future Records and Recipes! It is a very short album (which is ideal for me, I am very impatient and think almost all songs could be a minute shorter except for all Crosby Stills and Nash songs, for some reason they songs can all be 7 minutes long and I live for it) so we also put on Revolver, which I always claim is my favorite Beatles album until I realize it has Yelllow Submarine on it. But that's not even THAT bad.
Tweens: A-
Revolver: A+



Shrimp and Grits would have taken a lot longer had we used the kind of grits suggested in the recipe but I didn't feel like going to another grocery store and so quick cooking grits it was! A fancier person might have noticed a difference but 7 minutes of cooking versus an hour was worth it to me. One extra step the recipe calls for that was worth it was dry brining the shrimp with salt and baking soda. I really do believe it made the shrimp come out better. Matt is no big fan of mushrooms so I planned to make the mushrooms to the side but he said he had prepared his body for reintroduction of mushrooms so I just made it all together like the recipes calls for. He still liked it, maybe  a little more than I did. As much of a mushroom fan as I am, I think maybe the mushrooms muddied the flavor up or perhaps, I've just never had shrimp and grits with mushrooms in it and so it was just a new flavor to me. The gravy did come out quite flavorful.  We used the leftover shrimp and mushrooms as a pizza topping the next day and that was really tasty as well.
Shrimp and Grits: B+.




Shrimp and Gruyere Cheese Grits with Mushrooms and Bacon
(from Serious Eats)

INGREDIENTS

        5 3/4 cups homemade or store-bought chicken stock, divided

         1 pound large shrimp, shelled (shells reserved)

         3/4 pound mixed mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake, and oyster, stemmed and thinly sliced (stems reserved)

         3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasonin

         1/4 teaspoon baking soda

         1/4 teaspoon cornstarch

         1 cup grits, preferably stoneground (see note above)

·         1 cup grated Gruyère cheese (about 4 ounces)

·         Freshly ground black pepper

·         4 slices thick-cut bacon (about 4 ounces), diced

·         Vegetable oil (if needed)

·         1 medium shallot, minced

·         2 medium cloves garlic, minced

·         1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

·         2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

·         1 tablespoon fresh juice from 1 lemon

·         2 tablespoons mixed minced fresh herbs, such as parsley, chives, and tarragon, plus more as garnish

      Directions 

1. 1.
   In a large saucepan, combine 5 cups stock with reserved shrimp shells and mushroom trimmings. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Strain and return stock to saucepan.
2. 2.
   Meanwhile, combine shrimp, 3/4 teaspoon salt, baking soda, and cornstarch in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
3. 3.
   Whisk grits into stock, set over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Lower heat to a bare simmer and cook, stirring and scraping bottom frequently with a wooden spoon, until grits are fully softened and cooked and have thickened into a spoonable porridge, about 1 hour. Stir in Gruyère cheese until fully melted. Season with salt and pepper and keep grits warm. (A piece of parchment pressed against the surface will help prevent a skin from forming.)
4. 4.
   In a large skillet, heat bacon over high heat until sizzling. Lower heat to medium and cook, stirring, until bacon has rendered its fat and become crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. You should have 1/4 cup rendered bacon fat in the skillet. Remove all but 1 tablespoon fat and reserve.
5. 5.
   Return skillet to high heat and heat until very lightly smoking. Add shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned outside with only a faint trace of translucence remaining in the center of each shrimp. Transfer shrimp to a plate.
6. 6.
   Add reserved 3 tablespoons bacon fat to the skillet, return to medium-high heat, and heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until mushrooms release their liquid, about 3 minutes; scrape any browned bits from bottom of skillet. Continue cooking mushrooms, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes; if pan becomes too dry, add vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, to keep it lubricated. Stir in shallots, garlic, and cayenne and cook until shallots and garlic are softened, about 2 minutes.
7. 7.
   Add remaining 3/4 cup stock and scrape up any browned bits on bottom of pan. Stir in shrimp. Lower heat to medium-low and whisk in butter until fully melted and emulsified with the sauce. Remove from heat and whisk in lemon juice. Stir in herbs and season with salt and pepper.
8. 8.
   Spoon grits into bowls and top with shrimp, mushrooms, and their gravy. Top with reserved crispy bacon and serve right away.