Half the fun of cooking is seeing people enjoying your food, but crafting the perfect menu for your guests can be tricky.
When it’s my turn to play hostess, I try to avoid overly-fussy foods which can stress me out and intimidate my fellow diners, opting instead for dishes that will both nourish and impress. Two of my favorite strategies are:
1. Taking a classic comfort food and redefining it with luxurious ingredients (truffled mashed potatoes or lobster pot pie, anyone?) or…
2. Serving an easy one-pot meal in an unexpected, elegant way (using strategic component placement, creative plating, and lavish garnishes)
In both cases, the dishes feel special, yet familiar, while requiring minimal effort on your part.
For my most recent dinner party, I opted for the latter of the two strategies and whipped up a batch of shrimp and grits, an easy southern classic. To serve, I carefully assembled the shrimp mixture on top of fluffy beds of grits in shallow dishes, creating a stacking effect. I finished the plates with a garnish of parsley, feta, and scallions, plus an extra drizzle of sauce. In this way, what could have just been a bowl of “slop” was transformed into a stylish dish. For dessert, I dressed up a simple cheesecake with a silken layer of amaretto whipped cream and a glossy garnish of fresh raspberries to create an elegant version of the standard. Minimal stress, maximum payoff.
Smoky Shrimp with Cheddar Grits
My take on a classic. The uninhibited use of bacon grease, while not the healthiest addition, gives a real depth of flavor to the dish- something not easily accomplished without simmering for hours or marinating in the refrigerator overnight. The result is true soul-warming comfort food: juicy shrimp smothered in tomatoes and peppers, smoky chunks of ham and crispy bits of bacon, with a little kick of Old Bay spice. Spoon the mixture over creamy white cheddar grits, and cholesterol will be the last thing on your mind.
Grits
1 cup whipping cream
3 cups water
½ tsp salt
2 cups instant grits
3 cups grated white cheddar cheese (12 oz)
. Combine cream, water, and salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat
. Bring the mixture to a boil and slowly whisk in the grits- should thicken almost immediately
. Stir in the cheddar cheese
. Cover and keep warm over a low heat.
Shrimp
5 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1.5 pound shrimp (about 20- peeled, deveined, and half-butterflied)
Butter
Olive oil
2 shallots, minced
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
½ cup cubed, smoked ham (or sausage- preferably Andouille)
¼ cup dry white wine (a splash, enough to deglaze pan)
1 can diced tomatoes (with juice)
2 tsp Old Bay
Dashes of: dried oregano, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, ground coriander, garlic powder, dried basil
Parsley, chopped (to taste)
Scallions (for garnish)
Feta (for garnish)
. Cook bacon bits, drain and set aside
. Sautee shrimp in bacon grease, set aside
. Cook shallots in remaining bacon grease, olive oil and butter
. Add green bell peppers, sauté until tender (cover to steam for a few minutes)
. Add ham cubes
. Deglaze pan with wine; allow some of the alcohol to cook off
. Add tomatoes, some of liquid from shrimp, and all the spices, simmer until peppers are cooked and flavors meld
. Stir in shrimp and half of the parsley
. Spoon over cooked grits
. Top with feta, bacon bits, scallions, and remaining parsley
Amaretto Cream Cheesecake with Raspberries
This simple pie rendered my guests speechless (one even declared it the best dessert he’s ever had!) That said, it truly is other-worldly, with the flavors playing off one-another to create a perfect balance: a hint of salt in the buttery crust, fluffy cream contrasting smooth custard, a zip of tartness from the raspberries, and floral notes of lemon and almond floating throughout. Not too dense or sweet, just silky, sumptuous goodness. This is NOT your average, pre-sliced Cheesecake Factory pie.
Cheesecake
2 cups ground vanilla wafer cookies (Whole Foods brand was great)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) salted butter, melted
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
Topping
Whipped cream
Splash of amaretto
Granulated sugar
Berry Sauce
¾ of a jar of Smucker’s seedless raspberry jam
1 pint of raspberries
¾ pint of blueberries
For cheesecake:
. Preheat oven to 325°F.
. Blend cookies and butter together in food processor
. Press mixture into the bottom of the pie pan (not on the sides)
. Using hand-held electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together in large bowl until fluffy (about 1 minute). Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, blending after each
. Pour batter into pie pan
. Bake until cheesecake is set in center, and it’s starting to brown/crack- about 50 minutes
. Run a butter knife around the outside to loosen from pie pan
. Cool completely
. Whip cream to stiff peaks, adding sugar gradually, then fold in a splash of amaretto
. Spread cream on top of cheesecake with spatula
. Refrigerate (covered, but without Saran wrap touching the cake) for several hours before serving (can be made a day ahead)
For sauce:
. Heat jam until melted into thick liquid
. Remove from heat, then stir in berries
. Refrigerate until ready to serve
