Masa Harina Cornbread, Shrimp & Grits w/ Daikon Slaw, Fast Focaccia

Simple Shrimp & Grits
This is the dish that Sally's Mum requested for our first Lunch With Mum of the new year.  I love shrimp, but I'm no a fan of "peel & eat" or "peel & cook & eat".  Here we can get a wide range of Gulf Pink shrimp which are peeled and pre-cooked.

1 lb 16-20 Shrimp, peeled and pre-cooked
Cajun Seasoning to taste
1 cup dry Grits
2 cups Half & Half
2 cups Water
White Pepper to taste (because black pepper looks like ants got into your stored grits!)
3 oz soft Goat Cheese

Start the grits, water and dairy cooking in a largish pot.  This will take about half an hour.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, sauté the shrimp in butter and oil for a few minutes, with a healthy dusting of a Cajun spice blend.  I like Healthy Solutionstm salt-free Cajun Seafood Seasoning.  Reserve.

Now season the grits with about 1/2 Tbsp of white pepper, and continue cooking.  White pepper has a distinctively different, pleasant taste than regular old black pepper.  When the grits are basically done, add the goat cheese in 'dollops', and stir the mixture while the cheese melts.

Serve the grits in a pool on a plate, with the warmed shrimp artistically arrayed on top.  

Some folks make a gravy with tasso ham and a bit of veg that is spooned onto the grits when the shrimp are plated, but that's more work that I want for a simple dish like this...

Daikon Coleslaw & Dressing
To compliment my Shrimp & Grits, I made a tangy daikon-doctored coleslaw with a fabulous dressing.  Daikon is a white radish the size of your forearm, which can be found in most megamarts or, if all else fails, an Asian market where it's a staple in Asian cooking because it retains its crunch but gets slightly sweet when stir fried.

1 bag shredded Coleslaw mixture
3/4 cup large-grated Daikon
3/4 cup Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
Juice of half a Lemon
Fresh cracked Black Pepper to taste.
(optional) 1/4 tsp Celery Seed

Combine the slaw mix and the daikon is a largish bowl.  

In a small bowl stir together the rest of the ingredients.  Not much sugar in here; we're not fond of really sweet dressings.  Spoon the dressing over the slaw while stirring.  Don't over-dress the slaw -- there's nothing worse than coleslaw soup!  Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Fast Focaccia
No this is not a new Italian sports car!!!

I've loved Focaccia ever since my first bite of this bread years ago.  Problem is that most recipes are long and involved processes of rising and kneading the dough several times.  This recipe isn't like that -- this is a No Knead bread!  Makes 2 loaves.

1-1/2 cups plus 2 Tbsp lukewarm Water
1/4 cup EVOO
1 packet Instant Yeast
2 tsp Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp Sugar
3-3/4 cup AP flour, plus more for dusting
1 tsp finely chopped Rosemary (1-2 stems)

With a wooden spoon or spatula, combine half the oil, the yeast, salt, sugar and flour in a large bowl, making a rough dough.  Use clingfilm or another lid and let it rest on the counter for "about 2 hours".  Can be stored in the fridge for 2 weeks.

Put a baking stone on the middle rack of the oven, and preheat to 425F.  Pour the remaining oil in a 9" cake pan and swirl to cover the bottom.

Take half the dough (it's sticky) and dust it with flour.  Reserve the rest of the dough in the refrigerator for later in the week.

Dust your hands with flour and pull the dough into a smooth-skinned ball by pulling the dough over, rotating a quarter turn and repeating 3 more times until the top is a nice smooth ball.  Form the ball, smooth side up, into a disk about 6-7" in diameter and place it, smooth side up, into the oiled cake pan.  With your dusty hands, spread the dough evenly out to the edge of the pan.  Cover with  lid or cling film and let the dough rest and rise 20 minutes.

Sprinkle dough with the rosemary, or Italian Seasoning, place the pan on the hot stone in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until GB&D.  

Cut into wedges and serve warm (or not) with butter.

Even with the largish airpocket this focaccia had a nice 'crumb' -- crisp outside somewhat chewy inside.   This one's a Keeper!!

Masa Harina Cornbread

We usually make cornbread with ground cornmeal -- yellow or white. I got a short-notice request for  side dish to pulled pork, and cornbread sounded just right.  But I didn't have regular corn meal or the package of Jiffytm Cornbread Mix that I've used for 25 years as a basis for my 'doctored' cornbread.  I did have masa harina, the Mexican ground hominy corn meal with its distinctive flavor, and I thought 'what the heck'.  So I found a simple recipe and doctored it with frozen sweetcorn and diced red bell pepper.  Here you go.

1-1/2 cup Masa Harina para tamales (I use Maseca brand)

1/2 cup AP Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

2 Tbsp Baking Powder

1-1/2 cups Dairy (Whole Milk or Half & Half)

1/2 cup frozen kernel Corn

1/2 cup diced Red Bell Pepper

2 Eggs

1/4 cup  Honey

Preheat the oven to 425F and line a 9x9 baking dish with parchment paper.

Combine the flours, baking powder and salt.  In another bowl combine the dairy, honey and eggs; then add the wet to the dry ingredients and stir with a fork.  Add the corn and diced red peppers and bring it all together.

Spread the dough mixture in the baking dish, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until GB&D (Golden Brown & Delicious) and a toothpick comes out clean.

The result isn't as sweet as conventional cornbread, and has that wonderful (to me) 'tamale tang' of corn tortillas.  An excellent accompaniment to chili,  pulled pork, shredded beef or smoked chicken!