Grilled Spicy Shrimp and Sausage with Cheese Grits Casserole @LucyBurdette

LUCY BURDETTE: Supposing you have a big crowd coming for dinner, as I did, and you're desperate to serve something different? This recipe could be the answer for your labor day cookout! The idea came from one of our favorite restaurants in Key West, called Santiago's Bodega. They serve tapas, including one of our favorites--shrimp and chorizo sausage on skewers.

I decided I would like to try to do a copycat recipe for our Supper club dinner. This recipe makes enough for 10 people. I served it with a cheese grits casserole on the side. We also had a cucumber salad and marinated green beans to round out the dinner.

Ingredients

36 large shrimp, shelled and deveined

One bunch cilantro washed with stems removed

Six cloves garlic, or to taste

1/2 cup good olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Four andouille sausage links


To make the shrimp: in your food processor, whir the garlic and cilantro until finely chopped. Add the olive oil and salt and mix thoroughly.








 
Place the clean shrimp in a glass bowl and pour the marinade over top. Let this sit in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours.

 




Cut the sausage into 1 inch chunks, and string the sausage on the skewers alternating shrimp and sausage. (Although, the next time I might cook the sausage separately, as it needs a little more time on the grill than the shrimp.) 





Grill on medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes until the shrimp are pink and the edges of the sausage beginning to brown. You may either serve an individual diner one skewer or, as I did, scrape the shrimp and sausage into one big serving dish and let your guests fight over the pieces.

 
For the the grits casserole:

2 cups of dried corn grits

6 cups chicken broth

One 8 ounce bar of cheddar cheese, shredded

Half a stick of butter

Three eggs

To make the grits, bring the broth to a boil, slide the grits into the pan, and bring them to a second boil. Simmer the grits until thick, about 10 minutes. Stand back as you stir because they will pop and can burn the chef. 

When the grits are thick, whip the three eggs together and add some of the hot grits to the eggs, stirring well. Next, stir the egg mixture into the grits, also stir in two thirds of the grated cheese and the half stick butter. 

Dump all of this into an oiled pan and scatter the remaining cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes until bubbly.

Cook's note: even though we did not have a southerner in attendance, the grits were very popular.



MURDER WITH GANACHE, the fourth Key West mystery, is in stores now. DEATH WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS will be out in December.

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