HUNGRY GERALD

A  classic of down home, savory comfort eating is Shrimp and Grits. Just typing those words sharpens HG’s appetite. BSK is an expert at making shrimp and grits. Simple cooking but each element must be cooked with masterly timing. BSK cooks the grits first and keeps them warm. They are lush and creamy because BSK adds a big chunk of cream cheese to the grits–a culinary trick learned from Gifted Daughter Lesley R. The sofrito (sauce) is composed of softened onion slices, chopped garlic, olive oil, tomato paste and a splash of Frank’s Hot Sauce. Must have some green for color and health so BSK steams some baby spinach and adds it to the creamy grits. Shrimp are tricky–even a slight overcooking makes them rubbery. BSK takes less than a minute to cook the shrimp into sweet, tender lushness. The shrimp nestle on a bed of spinach grits and doused with the tangy sauce–the joyous eating is enhanced by numerous glasses of red Argentine Malbec. Yes, much to HG’s pleasure, BSK makes dinner at HG/BSK’s Prince Edward Island oceanfront home, a culinary epic. (On PEI, the evening meal is called “supper” and lunch is “dinner”.)