It is hard to believe that it has been a year since I started hosting the Everyday Gourmet with Chef Patrick segments. Over the past 12 months, I’ve shared a different recipe each week – recipes that are easy to put together at home, but have a decidedly upscale flair about them.

Shrimp & Grits Cakes

Patrick Evans-Hylton

One of the first recipes I demonstrated was Shrimp with Sweet Potato Grits – a Southern classic with the twist of using sweet potatoes, which are in season now. In today’s recipe, I revisit the shrimp and grits combination, but add two new elements: making grits pancakes to serve with the shrimp and placing it all atop another Southern staple – collard greens.

In today’s recipe, the earthiness of the collards are a perfect platform for the savory grits pancakes, which, in turn, support a trio of delicious pan-sauteed shrimp. It is a winning combination of flavors that is easy to prepare, and sure to please.

Remember – we recommend using delicious Virginia-grown products whenever possible.

Enjoy this recipe, and if you have a recipe to share or a question to ask, email me at: patrick@hrmag.com.

We will select a viewer’s email-submitted recipe monthly to demonstrate on the air, and invite you to a taping at Croc’s 19th Street Bistro in Virginia Beach.

(Speaking of Croc’s, there will be an Everyday Gourmet first anniversary party there tonight - Nov. 7 from 4 until 7 p.m. – come on out!)

Also, check out my food blog at www.hamptonroadsmagazine.com/dishrag for more food news you can use.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

Put a little butter and olive oil in a sauté pan and cook shrimp over medium heat until pink. Set in oven to keep warm.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Combine with grits, egg yolks and buttermilk; mix until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and pepper together; sift into the grits mixture. Stir to incorporate. In a large sauté pan, heat a little butter over medium-high heat. Drop batter inoto pan by the tablespoon, making medium sized cakes. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface – about two minutes.

Turn and cook other side, checking bottom to see when it browns. Repeat with all the batter.

To plate, set two or three pancakes atop collards.

Dollop on sour cream, and place three shrimp on top.

Next week: Awesome Autumnal Salad

Watch Everyday Gourmet on 13News @ Noon

Chef Patrick Evans-Hylton is Food Editor for Hampton Roads Magazine. He attended Johnson & Wales University in Norfolk and worked for several years in the food industry. He is the author of six books. Chef Patrick recommends using fresh Virginia-grown produce whenever possible.