Creamy Grits With Bahamian Rock Lobster Recipes

CREAMY "GRITS" WITH CREOLE SHRIMP

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon 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 tablespoons 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 cup 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 tablespoons butter, 2 cups stock, 1 cup milk and 2 teaspoons hot sauce, to a boil in a sauce pot. Stir in 1 cup 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.
• Serve generous ladles of shrimp and sauce on a bed of creamy "grits".

CREAMY GRITS WITH BAHAMIAN ROCK LOBSTER

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring seafood stock to a boil. Once boiling, add salt, bay leaves, and lobster meat. Cook lobster only until it is opaque. Do not overcook lobster as it will get tough. Remove lobster with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain, reserving cooking liquid. Remove bay leaves from liquid and discard.;
• Melt the butter in a saucepan, and add garlic and scallions, cooking them until they become tender. Stir in the grits, and toast lightly in the pan, then add the cooking liquid from the lobster and simmer until the grits are cooked, about 20 minutes. (The grits should be fluffy.)
• While the grits are cooking, cook bacon in a large skillet until crispy and golden brown, then remove to paper toweling to drain. Pour off most of the fat from the pan. To the same pan which now has a coating of bacon fat, add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, tomatoes, and parsley. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes to integrate flavors, then return bacon pieces to pan and add white wine. Let wine reduce by half while grits are cooking.
• To finish, gently fold lobster, lime juice, and Parmesan into grits. Season with salt and pepper, as needed. Transfer lobster grits to serving dish and spoon mushroom wine sauce around. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.

PAN-SEARED SHRIMP WITH ROMESCO SAUCE, CREAMY GRITS, AND GREENS

Steps:

• For the grits: Place a saucepan over high heat with the chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, add the grits, and stir with a whisk. Once the grits come to a simmer, add the cream, again reduce the heat to low, and continue to cook until the grits just start to thicken, about 8 minutes. Add the cheese to the grits, taste for seasoning, turn the heat off, and allow the cheese to melt into the grits. Stir in the chopped parsley. Taste and season with salt, if needed. Cover and keep warm.
• For the greens: In a medium pan over medium heat, heat the oil and saute the mustard greens until starting to wilt, about 1 minute. Stir in the chile flakes and cook 1 minute. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cook until the greens are just tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
• For the shrimp: Heat a saute pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter, allowing the butter to melt.
• Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and then add to the pan. Stir the shrimp while cooking. Cook until bright red, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Once the shrimp are cooked, add the wine to deglaze the pan, allowing the wine to simmer for 1 minute until reduced.
• Turn the heat off and add 2 to 3 tablespoons Romesco sauce, stirring in to coat the shrimp. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to finish.
• To plate, spoon the grits onto a plate, top with mustard greens, and top with shrimp.
• Grind the almonds in a food processor until finely ground but not pureed. Add the bread, vinegar, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, and paprika to the processor and grind together briefly until evenly pureed. With the motor running, add the olive oil slowly until the sauce is thickened. Taste and season with salt.

LINGUINI AND LOBSTER CARIBE

Steps:

• For the pasta water: Begin by bringing your pasta water to a boil then reducing to a simmer. Add reserved lobster shells, oiled annatto seed, 1/2 onion, salt and fresh culantro. You may do this a day in advance.
• For the lobster: Bring a saute pan to medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 ounces achiote oil and 1 tablespoon butter; adding remaining oil to simmering pasta water with seeds. Drop pasta into seasoned water. Add sliced onion to saute pan and cook until slightly caramelized. Add lobster meat and continue to saute until slightly firm and opaque, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add sliced garlic, tomato and chopped culantro. Saute lightly for 1 minute. Add white wine and crushed red pepper. Reduce by one quarter. Add chicken broth and simmer. Add butter and stir to incorporate. Drain pasta and toss lightly with lobster saute. Plate and top with shaved Parmesan and chiffonade of culantro and serve immediately.