Cookbook author Kit Wohl calls Leah Chase, who died June 1, a favorite of presidents and residents. Wohl says she relished Leah Chase’s breakfast shrimp and grits. "There’s nothing better than a delicious memory of laughing as she cooked. We’ll honor her by cooking one of her recipes this weekend," she says.
Serves 6
4 tomatoes (very ripe)
Boiling water
4 ounces (1/2 cup) stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup bell peppers, diced
2 cloves fresh garlic fine chopped
2 pounds medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 fresh basil leaves chopped
1 tablespoon parsley chopped
In a 2 quart-sized pot half full, bring water to a boil. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, dip tomatoes into the boiling water for 15 to 20 seconds. Remove, rinse under cold water, slide off peels, core, seed and chop. Set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions, green peppers, and garlic. Stir until onions are transparent. Add tomatoes, shrimp, and paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, and basil leaves. Stir 5 to 10 minutes or until shrimp are cooked and pink throughout. Take care not to overcook.
Serve over or beside grits and garnish with chopped parsley.
Baked Cheese Grits*
Serves 6
Preheat oven to 375° F
4 cups water
1 cup quick grits
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
In a medium saucepan, bring water to a rolling boil. In a steady stream, add grits and salt, stirring occasionally and boil 10 to 15 minutes until just done. In a separate bowl, mix together milk, egg, and cheese. Add to grits, stirring well until cheese has completely. Using a medium sized buttered baking dish, pour in mixture and bake for 15 minutes.
Serve with buttered, toasted French bread.
NOTE:
Heads on unpeeled shrimp are about 1/3 more weight than peeled shrimp)
*Plain buttered grits are also excellent. Simply follow the package directions.
The recipe and photographs is courtesy of Kit Wohl’s book New Orleans Classic Brunches (Pelican Publishing). Kit appears regularly in the kitchen on the Sunday edition of Eyewitness Morning News at 6 a.m.
