Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Thrice Cooked Grits

"Fra Diavolo roughly translates into Brother Devil. The Pomadoro sauce and the baked grits can be made ahead of time and reheated.The surprising addition of bottled Heinz chili sauce adds an extra little zip to the Pomadoro.The hot pepper flakes used to season the shrimp can be ground in a clean coffee/spice grinder. The texture and mild salty flavor of the Queso Fresco works beautifully in the baked grits,but it may be substituted for another semi-dry crumbly cheese.This recipe serves 4 as an entree,but the shrimp recipe can easily be cut in half for 2 hearty servings with left over baked grits and sauce for use in another dish."

-Ingredients:
-for the baked grits

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup white onion,finely diced
2 garlic cloves,peeled and minced
1 cup half & half

1 cup chicken stock

2 cups cold water

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/8 cup old fashioned white or yellow grits

3 large eggs,lightly beaten
8 oz Queso Fresco,crumbled.

2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano,grated

1/4 cup fresh chives,finely chopped

-for the Shrimp

2 lb Frozen Shrimp (16/20 per pound),deveined,easy peel
1/2 cup Kosher salt
1 tablespoon tabasco
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes,finely ground(or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne)
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar (to encourage caramelization)
olive oil and butter to saute
3 cups store-bought or home made pomadoro sauce (recipe follows)
1/2 cup Heinz chili sauce

method:

-for the grits

Position oven rack on lower middle setting and preheat to 350 degrees.
Coat a 9x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Melt butter and oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat until foam has subsided.
Add onion and saute without browning 3-5 minutes.Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until aromatic.
Add half and half,chicken stock,water,salt,pepper and cayenne .Bring to a low boil over medium high heat.
Add grits to simmering liquid a little at a time,stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent clumping. reduce heat to medium low and continue to cook,stirring constantly @ 15 minutes until thick and grits pull away from the edges of the pot.
Remove from heat and add crumbled Queso Fresco and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Allow to cool slightly and whisk in eggs until thoroughly incorporated.
Stir in chives.
Pour into prepared baking dish and bake 30-40 minutes until center is set and edges are slightly browned.
Cool to room temperature and cut into 6 squares.Cut each square diagonally into wedges.Set aside until final assembly.

-for the shrimp

Combine salt and 1 cup water in a small sauce pot and bring to a simmer over medium high heat,stirring until salt has completely dissolved. Pour into a large bowl along with 3 quarts cold water and 1 cup ice cubes,and tabasco. Add frozen shrimp to water and allow to brine in refrigerator @ 1 hour or until shrimp is mostly thawed.
While shrimp is brining,prepare Pomadoro sauce or bring store-bought Marinara to a simmer on the stove top.
Add Heinz chili sauce to pomodoro and keep hot for final assembly.

Preheat oven to 225 degrees with oven rack in center position.

Coat a large baking sheet with a light coating of cooking spray.

Meanwhile,melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
Add just enough baked grits triangles to skillet so as not to crowd and brown 2-4 minutes.Turn and brown other side then remove to prepared baking sheet and keep warm in oven.Repeat with remaining triangles and keep warm in oven while preparing shrimp.
Peel shrimp and pat dry with paper towels,discard water and dry bowl.
Return shrimp to bowl and toss with ground red pepper,black pepper and sugar.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon butter in a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat until just beginning to smoke.
Add 1/2 of shrimp in a single layer and cook 1 minute until edges are brown.
Turn shrimp and cook on other side for about 45 seconds. Transfer shrimp to a bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Add the other tablespoon oil and teaspoon butter to skillet.Repeat cooking method with the other half of the shrimp.
Return all of shrimp to skillet and add enough pomodoro sauce to coat.
Heat through until shrimp is cooked,cover and remove from heat so as not to over cook shrimp.

Arrange 3 grits triangles on each plate and top with equal portions of shrimp and sauce. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Pomodoro Sauce
"The beauty of this sauce is that it is all done in one pot with no saute of vegetables.A quarter cup of olive oil may seem like a lot,but it really makes the sauce special.Since the oil is not cooked over high heat,it retains its fruity flavor."


ingredients:
2 -28 oz. cans whole plum tomatoes,preferably San Marzano
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil(I prefer California Olive Ranch Abrosana)
4 whole garlic cloves,smashed,peel removed
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons sugar if needed to balance acidity
3 sprigs fresh oregano
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves,whole
method:
Puree tomatoes in a blender or food processor a few seconds until just broken down and smooth.
Heat a large sauce pot over medium high heat and add pureed tomatoes along with olive oil,garlic cloves,salt,pepper flakes,black pepper and sugar if needed to balance acidity.
Bring to a low boil,then reduce heat to low,cover and simmer 45 minutes or up to 2 hours.
Add whole oregano sprigs and basil leaves and cook another 10 minutes just before serving.
Remove garlic cloves,oregano sprigs and basil if desired.
This recipe only requires 3 cups of the sauce.
The remainder of the sauce will keep in an air tight container in refrigerator for up to a week.