Behind the Dish: Scratch Kitchen & Meatery

When it comes to creating the perfect savory Southern dish, you can’t beat Scratch Kitchen’s Shrimp ‘N’ Grits.

A household dish south of the Mason Dixon, Shrimp ‘N’ Grits can trace its lineage back to the low country kitchens of South Carolina. And, because Scratch whips up the best Southern food in the city, their version of this iconic recipe is definitely worth re-creating at home.

Here’s what you’ll need to get cookin’:

• 1 andouille sausage, sliced
• 1/4c yellow onions, sliced
• 1/4c hominy
• 5 shrimp
• 1T garlic, minced
• 1/4c white wine
• 1/2c red-eye gravy
• 1T butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 8oz palmetto farms grits
• 2 eggs, cooked any style
• Scallions

Begin by heating up a few tablespoons of your favorite extra virgin olive oil in a skillet.

Then, slice your andouille (pronounced ann-doo-wee; a Cajun sausage linked to Louisiana by way of France) into small bites and brown in oil.

Once the andouille has rendered, add your sliced onions, taking care to make note of the wonderful aroma now wafting through your kitchen. The onions, mixed with the spicy juices from the andouille, will begin to take on an out-of-this world flavor.

Next, add your hominy. For those of you not in the know, hominy (essentially dried corn) are actually unground grits, a stable in Southern cuisine. Let the hominy steep in the juices, soaking in that rich bath of spice and fat from the sizzling sausage slices and onionw.

At this point, you should be making friends as your neighbors down the street will have to know what smells so damn good. Surprise, it’s your Shimp ‘N’ Grits recipe, courtesy your boys at Scratch.

But back to the kitchen.

It’s time to add your local shrimp, (if you can get ’em, opt for Kaua’i shrimp, they’re ultra-plump and delicious), then sizzle your chopped garlic.

As the shrimp being to plump, add your splash of white wine and let simmer for just a few minutes, letting the alcohol evaporate. Now, add your red-eye gravy* and a pat of butter. Mix this magic together with a pinch of salt and continue to simmer.

In a separate pan, fry up a pair of eggs to your liking.

In a small pot, cook your palmetto grits to direction.

Once your grits and eggs have cooked, it’s time to plate. Spoon your piping hot grits into a bowl and add your fried eggs on top. Now, take your shrimp and sausage and ladle over your grits. Voila!, you just made something downright amazing. Garnish with chopped scallions. Now it’s time to dive in.