Dinner DeeAs Brunch Recipe: Shrimp and Grits, Baked Pancakes

Our guest for day four of our Brunch Week is Matthew Firosz. His decades of culinary experience have taken him from running a beloved neighborhood restaurant in Portland, Oregon to setting up Tchotchke in St Pete in 2024 - 'tough to spell but easy to love'. He's sharing here to share a double idea for brunch: Shrimp and Grits with Andouille and Creole Sauce, plus his Mimi's Baked Pancakes.

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Shrimp and Grits with Andouille and Creole Sauce

Creole Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 jalapeño
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp cajun seasoning
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp tobasco
• 1 lb okra

Directions

1. Small dice onions, celery, bell peppers and jalapeño.
2. Smash and mince garlic.
3. In heavy stock pot or cast iron dutch oven, heat olive oil.
4. Add onions, celery, bell peppers, and jalapeño.
5. Sauté until onions are translucent.
6. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
7. Add salt, black pepper, and cajun seasoning.
8. Cook until spices become aromatic.
9. Add diced tomatoes, tobasco, and okra.
10. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until desired consistency is reached.

Grits

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup butter
• ½ cup grits
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ cup white cheddar
• 3 shakes tobasco

Directions

1. Put milk, cream, and butter into pot and heat until boiling.
2. Add grits and salt and quickly whisk.
3. Let simmer until soft.
4. Add cheese and tobasco.
5. Continue stirring until cheese is combined and mixture is creamy.

Blackening Spice Mix

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• ½ tbsp cayenne
• ½ tbsp coriander seed
• ½ tbsp white pepper
• ½ tbsp black pepper
• ½ tbsp dried oregano
• ½ tbsp brown sugar

Directions

1. Add all ingredients into a small bowl.
2. Whisk until ingredients are combined.

Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients

• 3 large shrimp
• blackening spice mix
• andouille sausage
• grits (see recipe above)
• Creole sauce (see recipe above)
• fresh parsley

Directions

1. Dust shrimp with blackening spice mix.
2. Place shrimp in skillet and blacken.
3. Add andouille sausage to skillet.
4. Place grits in bowl, add Creole sauce in center.
5. Place blackened shrimp in triangle.
6. Cut andouille into 3 pieces and place in spaces on plate.
7. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Mimi’s Baked Pancakes (German Pancake)

Ingredients

• 5 tbsp butter
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• dash salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• powdered sugar, for serving
• syrup, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425° F.
2. As oven preheats, put butter in un-greased 9" x 13" metal baking dish and place in oven, just until melted.
3. Place eggs, milk, flour, salt and vanilla in blender; cover and process until smooth.
4. Pour batter into baking dish, over melted butter.
5. Bake for 22–27 minutes or until edges are golden brown and puffy.
6. To serve, sprinkle generously with powdered sugar and syrup.

Matthew Firosz told us: "I like to serve these with a mix of fresh fruit — strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries mixed with a little sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice."

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