Featured Pairing

Cajun Shrimp with Southern Style Grits
to taste with Havens 2005 Albarino
Serves Six

6 servings

2 dozen medium (21-25 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined, browned on grill or in sauté pan
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup minced red onion
3/4 cups minced bell peppers (use a mixture of red, green and yellow if desired)
1/2 cup minced celery
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 medium sized jalapeño, minced
1/2 cup chopped Andouille sausage
1/4 cup flour
4 cups shrimp/shellfish stock - recipe follows
1 1/2 tbs. grated lemon peel
1/4 cup lemon juice  1/4 sliced green onion
1/4 chopped parsley
salt, black pepper, and Tabasco to taste

Melt butter over medium high heat in a large skillet.  Once butter is melted and bubbling, add onion, peppers, celery, garlic, and jalapeño. Sauté for 5 minutes.  Turn heat to high, add Andouille, continue cooking for additional 2 minutes.  Add flour to pan, stirring constantly until fully incorporated into mixture, 2-3 minutes.  Slowly add shrimp stock, 1/2 cup at a time, until smooth consistency.  Once mixture is slightly bubbling, add cooked shrimp, lemon peel and juice, parsley, and green onion.  Serve over steaming hot grits with a bottle of Havens Albariño surrounded by all your closest friends.

Grits

If you can find stone-ground grits in your local market, than use those, but quick grits (sold in most markets) works just fine!

2 cups grits
4 cups water
1 cup milk
1/4 cup grated gouda (optional)
4-5 tbsp. butter (to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large stockpot over medium high heat, combine milk, water, and 4tbsp. of butter.  Slowly bring to a boil.  Add grits gradually, while stirring constantly.  Turn heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10-12 minutes.  Make sure to stir occasionally so that grits don't stick to bottom of pan.  Once grits are thickened add desired amount of cheese, and remaining butter (to taste). 

Stock

2 pounds crab, or shrimp shells  (ask your seafood supplier to reserve some)
2 large onions, quartered
2 celery stocks, large dice
2 large carrots, large dice
7 peeled garlic cloves
5 sprigs parsley
10 whole black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1 lemon, quartered
3 cups of Albariño (or is you can't get yourself to give up so much Albariño, do 1 1/2 cup dry white wine, and 1 1/2 cup Albariño)
1 gallon water

Combine all ingredients in large stockpot over high heat.  Once stock comes to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour.  Make sure to ladle any foam or oil out of the pot that may appear during the cooking process.  Strain stock.  For a richer stock, place liquid back in stock pot, and reduce to at least four cups.