Entertaining for the holidays in 2020 is distinctively different than it has been for any other year. Most of us likely will celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve with close family only, but that doesn’t mean parties should be any less festive. Chef Stu Plush of The Kitchen & Bar at Bardstown Bourbon Company offers this appetizer recipe as a fun take on the classic shrimp and grits dish sure to make any intimate get-together a delectable one. Happy Holidays!
MELISSA DETTLINGER
Ingredients
¼ pound andouille sausage, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup water
¼ cup stone ground grits (I like Louismill)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
12 mini sweet peppers, top cut out (to resemble a canoe) and seeds removed
1 bay leaf
½ pound raw shrimp, 41-50 count
½ teaspoon Creole seasoning
Favorite hot sauce
Chopped scallions, for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat oil in sauté pan over medium heat. Add andouille and garlic to pan and heat until andouille starts to brown. Remove from heat.
2. Bring water to a boil. Stir in grits and bay leaf; reduce to simmer. Cover and cook until done, about 15 minutes. When grits are done, stir in butter, parmesan cheese, sausage and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Stuff peppers with grits and place on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for about 5 minutes.
4. While peppers are baking, reheat the andouille sausage pan over medium-high heat. Season shrimp with creole seasoning and sauté until they turn opaque.
5. Remove peppers from oven and place on a platter or plate. Add a dash of your favorite hot sauce, top each with 1 shrimp, and garnish with chopped scallions.
Recipes provided by Chef Stu Plush of The Kitchen & Bar at Bardstown Bourbon Company.
Photo courtesy of The Kitchen & Bar at Bardstown Bourbon Company.