Cooking Demo: Leah Chase's Breakfast Shrimp and Baked Cheese Grits

Celebrate Women's History Month! Learn about the history of Black Female Chefs and Cookbook Authors, then watch a cooking demo of one of Leah Chase's (The Queen of Creole) famous dishes.

Breakfast Shrimp with Baked Cheese Grits by Leah Chase

Serves 6

4 tomatoes (very ripe)

Boiling water

4 ounces (1/2 cup) stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup onion, diced

1/2 cup bell peppers, diced

2 cloves fresh garlic fine chopped

2 pounds medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 fresh basil leaves chopped

1 tablespoon parsley chopped

In a 2 quart-sized pot half full, bring water to a boil. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, dip tomatoes into the boiling water for 15 to 20 seconds. Remove, rinse under cold water, slide off peels, core, seed and chop. Set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions, green peppers, and garlic. Stir until onions are transparent. Add tomatoes, shrimp, and paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, and basil leaves. Stir  5 to 10 minutes or until shrimp are cooked and pink throughout. Take care not to overcook.

Serve over or beside grits and garnish with chopped parsley.

Baked Cheese Grits

Serves 6

Preheat oven to 375° F

4 cups water

1 cup quick grits

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a rolling boil. In a steady stream, add grits and salt, stirring occasionally and boil 10 to 15 minutes until just done. In a separate bowl, mix together milk, egg, and cheese. Add to grits, stirring well until cheese has completely mixed in. Using a medium sized buttered baking dish, pour in mixture and bake for 15 minutes.