Sweet-Savory Shrimp Grits

This is a terrific flavorful recipe from Ayesha Curry, who, according to Google, is "a Canadian–American celebrity cook, cookbook author, television personality (Ayesha's Homemade), businesswoman, model and actress."  

And she is only 27 years old.

And she is gorgeous.

And she was on the cover of Sunset Magazine this month.

And she is married to Stephan Curry.

And she is co-owner of a restaurant with Michael Mina.

And she makes the rest of us look like under-achievers.

6-8 servings

7 calculated points

Viognier, Grenache

Ingredients

• ½ cup quick-cooking grits
• ¼ cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup shredded fontina cheese
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup minced yellow onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 pound shrimp (21 to 25 per lb.), peeled, deveined
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 3 green onions, green parts only, sliced

Directions

1. Cook grits according to package instructions. Stir in cheeses and butter, plus salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sauté onion until it begins to soften but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add peppers and a pinch each salt and pepper, then cook until tender-crisp, 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in brown sugar and wine. Increase heat and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Add shrimp; cook until just curled and pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Stir enough hot water into grits to make them soft and spoonable. Spoon 2 tbsp. warm grits onto each of 10 to 12 small plates. Top each with 2 shrimp, 1 tbsp. pepper-wine sauce, a sprinkle of parsley, a few green onion slices.