Shrimp & grits recipe

Ingredients

• 4 ounces pancetta or bacon, cut in small dice
• 2 ears sweet corn
• 1 small roasted red pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ bunch scallions, chopped
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup instant grits
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 ounces Fontina cheese, grated

• 20 large Key West pink shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup clarified butter
• Handful of cilantro leaves

To make the Sauce
1. Place a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add pancetta to pan and stir until fat has rendered. Cut corn kernels off cob and add them to pancetta. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it starts to brown. Add red pepper, cilantro, cayenne, cumin, and scallions and cook for 1 minute. Add cream and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. (Watch carefully, as the cream will rise over the edge of the saucepan.)
2. As soon as cream starts to boil, reduce heat to medium-low. Reduce cream by half, stirring occasionally. Whisk in butter, a few pieces at a time, until all is incorporated into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove sauce from heat, cover, and keep it in a warm place. (Do not leave on the stove; sauce will break.)
To prepare the Grits
3. Place broth in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then slowly whisk in the grits. Reduce heat to medium low and cook grits for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If grits get too thick, add a little more broth.) Stir in butter and Fontina. Remove grits from heat, cover, and keep them in a warm place on the stove.
To prepare the Shrimp
4. Set a cast-iron grill pan on an outdoor barbecue grill or on the stove over high heat. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and dip them in clarified butter. Shake off the excess butter and place shrimp on the hot grill pan. Cook shrimp for about 2 minutes. Turn them over and cook 1 minute more, until they are no longer translucent in the center. Remove shrimp from heat.
To Plate and Serve
5. Place a cup-size portion of grits on each of 4 dinner plates. Arrange 5 shrimp atop each portion of grits. Spoon sauce over shrimp and garnish with a sprinkling of cilantro leaves.