Photo courtesy of Dennis Concilla
Dennis Concilla has a lot of titles: lawyer, amateur paleontologist, fly fisherman and chef. In fact, Concilla cooks so well, and it comes so easily to him, that he doesn’t use recipes; he simply does what comes to him.
However, Concilla draws inspiration from other recipes. That includes one of his favorites, his shrimp and grits dish. His recipe is from Bobby Flay and the Food Network, but Concilla makes it his own in a few different ways, including adding some spice to give the dish a true southern feel.
“I will add a lot to this recipe,” Concilla says. “I actually add andouille sausage, then I use a lot of more New Orleans seasonings to give it a little zip.”
Shrimp and grits is a traditionally southern dish, and the shrimp can be substituted for many other types of seafood with a similar effect. However, Concilla likes it for reasons beyond its history.
“It’s a relatively simple dish to make if you’re entertaining,” he says. “And everybody likes it.”
In addition to his andouille sausage and New Orleans spicy seasonings, Concilla uses a stone-ground grit to add some weight to the dish as well as cheddar cheese to make it creamier. However, the only real way to get Concilla’s exact recipe may be to stand over his shoulder as he works. The lifelong amateur chef cooks with experience, not guidelines.
“Who knows,” Concilla says. “Maybe I can open a restaurant when I retire.”
Shrimp and Grits
Inspired by Bobby Flay, courtesy of Dennis Concilla
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- Salt (to taste)
- 1 tsp. sazon (from North Market Spices)
- 1 cup stone-ground grits
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ½ lb. andouille sausage
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 4 tsp. chopped parsley
- 1 cup thinly sliced chives
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
Directions
Bring water to a boil. Add salt. Add grits and cook until water is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and cheese.
Rinse shrimp and pat dry. Fry the bacon in a large skillet until browned; drain well. In grease, add shrimp and precooked andouille with sazon seasoning. Cook until shrimp is pink. Spoon grits into a serving bowl. Add shrimp mixture and mix well. Serve immediately.
*For extra flair, add lemon juice, chopped bacon, parsley and scallions and garlic to taste. Sautee for three minutes.
Amanda DePerro is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at hbealer@cityscenecolumbus.com.
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