Recipe of the Month

Gumbo Gravy over Stone-Ground Grits

1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

6 ounces andouille sausage, diced

Vegetable cooking spray

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 cup diced sweet onion

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons Browned Flour (instructions below)

1 cup reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth

1 cup sliced fresh okra

2 large plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced

Slow-Cooker Stone-ground grits (instructions below)

Garnish: sliced green onions

Toss shrimp in Cajun seasoning in a medium bowl.
Cook sausage in a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add oil, onion, and next 2 ingredients; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle Browned Flour over sausage mixture; stir until blended. Stir in chicken broth, and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, stirring often, and boil, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes or until thickened. Add shrimp, okra, and tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Serve over grits.

Browned Flour

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 400°. Spread flour in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until flour is the color of pecan shells, stirring with a wooden spoon every 7 minutes. Remove from skillet, and cool completely (about 30 minutes). Refrigerate flour in an airtight container up to 2 months.

Slow-Cooker Stone-ground grits

Stir together grits and water in a 3-qt. slow cooker. Let stand 2 minutes, allowing grits to settle to bottom; tilt slow cooker slightly, and skim off solids using a fine wire-mesh strainer. Cover and cook on HIGH 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until grits are creamy and tender, stirring every 45 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Southern Living-January 2013