- 6 cups water
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups yellow grits
- 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup clarified butter
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 leek, halved and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 2 ounces fresh morel mushrooms, chopped
- 3 ounces fresh oyster mushrooms, chopped
- 3 ounces fresh chanterelle mushrooms, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
- 1/2 cup cognac
- 1/2 cup shrimp stock
- 1/3 cup veal stock
- 1 pound peeled and deveined gulf shrimp
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- salt and black pepper to taste
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Bring the water and 3/4 teaspoon of salt to a boil in a large pot. Whisk in the grits and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently until the grits are tender and very thick, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in 1 3/4 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 1/2 cup butter, 2 tablespoons garlic, and the Cheddar cheese until the cheese has melted. Beat the eggs in a bowl with the milk until smooth, then stir into the grits until evenly combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the grits are hot in the center, and the top is golden brown, about 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, melt the clarified butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons of garlic, and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the leeks, and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the morel mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, chanterelle mushrooms, tomatoes, and Creole seasoning; cook and stir until the mushrooms begin to release their liquid, about 3 minutes. Pour in the cognac and simmer 2 minutes before pouring in the shrimp stock and veal stock. Return to a simmer, and cook until the liquid has reduced by half. Stir in the shrimp, thyme, and 3 tablespoons of butter. Cook and stir over low heat until the shrimp is no longer translucent, about 4 minutes; season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve the shrimp and mushroom sauce alongside the baked grits.