COUNTRY SHRIMP & SCALLOPS WITH CREAMY GRITS, ASPARAGUS AND ROASTED CORN RAGOUT

COUNTRY SHRIMP & SCALLOPS WITH CREAMY GRITS, ASPARAGUS AND ROASTED CORN RAGOUT image

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 24

Ingredients

GRITS:
1qt Cream
1/2lb Butter
4-1/4oz Quick Grits
1 cube Chicken Boullion or 1 tbs Chicken Base
ASPARAGUS & ROASTED CORN RAGOUT:
5tbs Buter
2 tbs Shallots, minced
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 c. corn, cooked & removed from cobb
2 c. mushrooms, chanterell preferred
1/2 c White wine
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 pint Cherry Tomatoes, halved
Salt & Pepper to taste
12 Basil leaves, chopped or 2 tbsp. dried
1/2tsp Thyme
1 bunch Scallions, sliced
1 bunch Asparagus, cut into 1" pieces
SHRIMP & SCALLOPS:
18 Shrimp (size 16-20)
18 Scallops (size 10-20) Marine diver or bay scallops preferred
4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Steps:

CREAMY GRITS: Melt the cream & butter together in a saucepan and bring to boil. Sprinkle the grits into the boiling cream and butter while stirring with a whisk. Continue to stir for 1 minute until it thickens, then turn the heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring regularly. Add Chicken Boullion to grits and stri until dissolved, remove from heat. Let grits cool down so they are firmer before serving. ASPARAGUS & ROASTED CORN RAGOUT: place 4 tbsp butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the corn & mushrooms and saute for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Add the shallots and garlic, saute for 30 seconds, add white wine. Bring it to a simmer and reduce by half for around 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. halved tomatoes, basil, thyme and remaining butter, scallions & asparagus, allowing the heat of the sauce to cook the vegetables. Season with salt & pepper to taste. SHRIMP & SCALLOPS: Divide the vegetable oil between two sauce pans that have been heated over full heat for a minute. Season the shrimp and scallops with salt & pepper and add to the pans when the oil begins to smoke. Saute the scallops for 3 minutes, around 15 minutes on both sides. When they are done the flesh will be opaque. Sautee the shrimp for a minute on both sides or until they are pink and firm. ASSEMBLE: Place a scoop of the grits on the center of each plate and arrange three scallops in a triangle around the grits with three shrimp on top. Add a couple of spoonfulls of the ragout over the grits and serve.