Grit Cakes with Duck Fat Shrimp Toppers

bayou sam's cajun grill

©2006

AuthorDartagnan
DifficultyAdvanced

" a holiday tray that will be gone before you can Duck Fat Shrimp Toppers"

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Yields1 Serving
Prep Time1 hrCook Time25 minsTotal Time1 hr 25 mins
FOR THE GRITS
 1 cup Old Fashioned Grits
 3 cups fresh chicken stock
 1 cup heavy cream
 1 cup good water
 1 stick unsalted butter, divided
 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
 2 oz cream cheese
GRIT CAKES
 2 cups all-purpose flour
 4 XL eggs
 2 ½ cups Panko Bread Crumbs, plain
 1 tsp black pepper
 1 tsp onion powder
 1 ½ cups peanut oil for frying
 ¼ cup duck fat, divided
DEM SHRIMP TOPPERS
 1 lb large or extra large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
 4 oz Pancetta, diced smallor Spainish Iberico Serrano Ham
 2 small shallots, minced
 1 celery rib, minced
 1 scallion, sliced thin
 ½ red bell pepper, diced small
 1 tbsp parsley leaves, chopped
 1 jar caperberries, garnish
THE GRITS
1

Pour the chicken stock, heavy cream, and water into a medium sauce pan. Add butter and seasonings and whisk together. Heat mixture over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. Once it's boiling, very very slowly pour in the grits while whisking quickly for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, for a good simmer and cook 10 minutes, until thickened and soft.

2

Once grits have cooked and thickened, remove from heat and add shredded cheeses, cream cheese and whisk together until combined, returning to heat as required. Taste grits and add hot sauce or salt, if needed.

3

Grease 9x13 casserole dish or baking pan. Pour cooked grits into dish. Bang on counter a couple times to remove air bubbles. Let grits cool for 15 minutes and then cover and place in fridge to chill for at least 4-24 hours. It should be completely set and thick before you cut out the grit cakes.

THE GRIT CAKES
4

Preheat oven to warm. 170°

5

Beat eggs. Mix black pepper, creole seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Distribute evenly between the flour, breadcrumbs, and eggs. Set aside.

6

Place flour, breadcrumbs, and eggs in three separate dredging plates or shallow bowls.

7

Remove grits from fridge. Place a sheet of parchment paper on counter next to the grits. Using a 2 1/2 to 3 inch biscuit cutter, cut out as many circles as possible, about 20, and place on parchment paper. One at a time, roll in flour, shake off excess, dip in egg mixture, and then cover in breadcrumbs. Make sure you press on the breadcrumbs so that they stick on really well. Repeat with rest of grit cakes.

8

On medium heat, add 1 1/2 cups of oil and 2 tablespoons of duck fat to a medium seasoned cast-iron skillet. Heat on medium heat. When hot, carefully place four grit cakes in oil and fry for 1 minute per side. They should be deep golden brown. Remove from oil and place on Bradley rack to drain. Only fry 4 cakes at a time, so as not to drop the temperature of the oil.

9

Once all cakes have fried, place rack on 1/2 sheet pan, place in warmed oven, keep warm in the oven. 170°

DEM SHRIMPS
10

Heat skillet to medium heat. Add diced pancetta and cook through until crispy. Remove and drain pancetta on paper towels. Do not discard the rendered grease. Dry shrimp as much as possible. Heat leftover rendered grease and add a tablespoon of duck fat to medium high heat. Add shrimp, hit with a little kosher salt and cook until bright pink, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove from skillet.

11

If you find yourself short on rendered pancetta grease, add another 1 tablespoon of duck fat to skillet and heat to medium heat. Once hot, add shallots, scallion, celery, red pepper, parsley, thyme, and garlic. Cook until veggies soften, about 2-3 minutes. Add back the pancetta and shrimp. Toss until combined. Turn off heat.

12

Assemble your grit cakes by placing a little of the pancetta and veggie mixture on a grit cake and then top with a shrimp. Serve with 3 caperberries. Serve immediately.

NOTES:
13

No reason the grits could not be done a day in advance, just cover tightly and keep in the fridge until ready to fry up.
Serve with Joe's Stone Crab Mustard Sauce +1T Louisiana Hot Sauce.

Ingredients

FOR THE GRITS
 1 cup Old Fashioned Grits
 3 cups fresh chicken stock
 1 cup heavy cream
 1 cup good water
 1 stick unsalted butter, divided
 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
 2 oz cream cheese
GRIT CAKES
 2 cups all-purpose flour
 4 XL eggs
 2 ½ cups Panko Bread Crumbs, plain
 1 tsp black pepper
 1 tsp onion powder
 1 ½ cups peanut oil for frying
 ¼ cup duck fat, divided
DEM SHRIMP TOPPERS
 1 lb large or extra large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
 4 oz Pancetta, diced smallor Spainish Iberico Serrano Ham
 2 small shallots, minced
 1 celery rib, minced
 1 scallion, sliced thin
 ½ red bell pepper, diced small
 1 tbsp parsley leaves, chopped
 1 jar caperberries, garnish

Directions

THE GRITS
1

Pour the chicken stock, heavy cream, and water into a medium sauce pan. Add butter and seasonings and whisk together. Heat mixture over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. Once it's boiling, very very slowly pour in the grits while whisking quickly for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, for a good simmer and cook 10 minutes, until thickened and soft.

2

Once grits have cooked and thickened, remove from heat and add shredded cheeses, cream cheese and whisk together until combined, returning to heat as required. Taste grits and add hot sauce or salt, if needed.

3

Grease 9x13 casserole dish or baking pan. Pour cooked grits into dish. Bang on counter a couple times to remove air bubbles. Let grits cool for 15 minutes and then cover and place in fridge to chill for at least 4-24 hours. It should be completely set and thick before you cut out the grit cakes.

THE GRIT CAKES
4

Preheat oven to warm. 170°

5

Beat eggs. Mix black pepper, creole seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Distribute evenly between the flour, breadcrumbs, and eggs. Set aside.

6

Place flour, breadcrumbs, and eggs in three separate dredging plates or shallow bowls.

7

Remove grits from fridge. Place a sheet of parchment paper on counter next to the grits. Using a 2 1/2 to 3 inch biscuit cutter, cut out as many circles as possible, about 20, and place on parchment paper. One at a time, roll in flour, shake off excess, dip in egg mixture, and then cover in breadcrumbs. Make sure you press on the breadcrumbs so that they stick on really well. Repeat with rest of grit cakes.

8

On medium heat, add 1 1/2 cups of oil and 2 tablespoons of duck fat to a medium seasoned cast-iron skillet. Heat on medium heat. When hot, carefully place four grit cakes in oil and fry for 1 minute per side. They should be deep golden brown. Remove from oil and place on Bradley rack to drain. Only fry 4 cakes at a time, so as not to drop the temperature of the oil.

9

Once all cakes have fried, place rack on 1/2 sheet pan, place in warmed oven, keep warm in the oven. 170°

DEM SHRIMPS
10

Heat skillet to medium heat. Add diced pancetta and cook through until crispy. Remove and drain pancetta on paper towels. Do not discard the rendered grease. Dry shrimp as much as possible. Heat leftover rendered grease and add a tablespoon of duck fat to medium high heat. Add shrimp, hit with a little kosher salt and cook until bright pink, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove from skillet.

11

If you find yourself short on rendered pancetta grease, add another 1 tablespoon of duck fat to skillet and heat to medium heat. Once hot, add shallots, scallion, celery, red pepper, parsley, thyme, and garlic. Cook until veggies soften, about 2-3 minutes. Add back the pancetta and shrimp. Toss until combined. Turn off heat.

12

Assemble your grit cakes by placing a little of the pancetta and veggie mixture on a grit cake and then top with a shrimp. Serve with 3 caperberries. Serve immediately.

NOTES:
13

No reason the grits could not be done a day in advance, just cover tightly and keep in the fridge until ready to fry up.
Serve with Joe's Stone Crab Mustard Sauce +1T Louisiana Hot Sauce.

Grit Cakes with Duck Fat Shrimp Toppers