Ingredients
Creamy Grits:
12 cups chicken broth
4 1/2 cups coarse stone ground white grits
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and white pepper
Shrimp and Sausage:
1/2 pound spicy Italian sausage
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds medium or large peeled and deveined shrimp, see Cook's Note
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Tasso gravy, recipe follows
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Cook's Note: If using large shrimp, allow 6 per person; for medium sized shrimp, 8 to 10 shrimp.

Directions
To make the grits, bring the chicken broth to a boil in a heavy-bottomed stockpot or large saucepan. Slowly pour in grits, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and continue to stir so that the grits so not settle to the bottom and scorch. In about 5 minutes, the grits will plump up and become a thick mass.

Continue to cook the grits for about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently. The grits should have absorbed all of the stock and become soft.

Stir in the heavy cream and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently. The grits should have a thick consistency and be creamy, like oatmeal. Season, to taste, with salt and white pepper. Keep warm over low heat until ready to serve. If the grits become to thick, add warm chicken broth or water to thin them down. To make the Shrimp and Sausage: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the Italian sausage on a baking sheet with raised sides. Place on the top rack of the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sausage is firm and the juices run clear. Cool and cut into small bite size pieces.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and saute for 2 minutes to brown slightly. Add the shrimp and saute until they begin to turn pink, no longer than 1 minute.

Add 1 cup of chicken broth to deglaze the pan. Add the Tasso Gravy and 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Bring up to a boil and simmer for 1 minute. The last 1/2 cup of the chicken stock is to be used to thin the gravy, if needed.

Divide the hot grits between 8 warm bowls. Spoon the shrimp, sausage mixture over the grits. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of parsley and serve immediately.


Tasso Gravy:
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sliced tasso, cut into 1-inch strips
1/2 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Salt and white pepper
To make the Tasso Gravy, melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan over low heat. Add the tasso. Saute for 1 minute, browning slightly. Make a roux by adding the flour and stirring until well combined.

Continue to cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Stirring frequently until the roux develops a nutty aroma. Turn the heat up to medium and gradually add 2 cups of the chicken broth, stirring vigorously. Keep stirring constantly until the broth begins to thicken and is smooth. Gradually add the remaining 2 cups of broth, stirring constantly until the broth thickens into gravy. Reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes to cook out the starchy flavor. Add the parsley. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and white pepper.

Stuffed Pork Shoulder "a lo caja china"

Ingredients
1 (8-pound) pork shoulder, bone-in
2 sour oranges, juiced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
6 bay leaves
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons pepper
1/2 pound ham, thinly sliced
8 slices bacon
1 cup prunes
1 cup guava shells
2 cups brown sugar
1 bottle Malta, divided
Fried Green Plantains, recipe follows
White Rice, recipe follows
Black Beans, recipe follows
Directions
Remove bone and flatten meat so that it may be rolled. If the pork shoulder is very fatty, a small amount may be removed. Score fat well and marinate for a minimum of 12 hours in the sour orange juice, garlic, bay leaves, salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Line meat with ham slices, bacon slices, prunes and guava shells. Roll meat carefully to keep the filling inside the roll. Tie firmly with a butcher twine. Cover with brown sugar and 1/2 bottle of Malta and cook for 1 hour in the preheated oven. At this point, turn the meat, cover with the remaining Malta and cook for an extra hour, or until the pork reaches a temperature of 180 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Allow to cool and cut into fine slices. Pour the drippings over the meat after slicing the meat. Serve with the Fried Green Plantains, White Rice, and Black Beans.

Fried Green Plantains (Tostones De Platano Verde):

Oil, for frying

4 ripe plantains, peeled

Salt

1 recipe Garlic Mojo, recipe follows

Preheat oil in a fryer or Dutch oven to 365 degrees F.

Peel the plantains and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place into preheated oil and fry for 5 minutes or until they begin to brown. Drain them on a paper-towel lines plate. Flatten them using a Tostonera or the bottom of a metal can and fry again at 385 degrees F for approximately 3 minutes. Drain again and sprinkle with salt and garlic mojo. For softer fried plantains, soak for a few minutes in salted water after the first fry, drain and fry again.

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes

Garlic Mojo:

8 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sour orange juice or 1/4 cup sweet orange juice plus 1/8 cup fresh lime or lemon juice

Chop up the garlic very thinly or crush using a mortar and pestle or food processor with the salt to form a thick paste. In a mixing bowl, combine the garlic paste and juice, and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or longer.

White Rice (Arroz Blanco):

9 tablespoons oil

6 cloves garlic, chopped

9 cups water

3 tablespoons salt

3 pounds rice, washed

Heat oil in a shallow casserole and brown garlic. Take it off the heat and remove garlic from the oil. Add water and salt to the oil and bring to a rolling boil. Add the washed rice and stir. Bring to a rolling boil again, cover and cook over low heat for approximately 30 minutes.

Yield: 20 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Black Beans (Frijoles Negros):

2 pounds black beans

20 cups water

1 cup plus 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 large onion, chopped

8 garlic cloves, mashed or chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

8 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper, optional

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 bay leaves

4 tablespoons sugar

1 cup dry red wine

4 tablespoons vinegar


Wash the beans and soak overnight in the water. When the beans swell, cook in the same water until soft, about 45 minutes. Heat 1 cup oil in a frying pan, add onions, garlic and green peppers. Add 1 cup of the beans to the pan and mash. Add this to the beans together with the salt, pepper, if using, oregano, bay leaves and sugar. Allow to boil for a 1 hour then add the wine and vinegar allowing to cook uncovered for a while. Add the 4 remaining tablespoons olive oil just before serving.

Yield: about 20 servings

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Inactive Prep Time: 12 hours

Shredded Tex-Mex Salad with Creamy Lime Dressing

Ingredients
Butter, for preparing 8 by 8-inch glass pan
1 (8.5-ounce) box cornbread mix (recommended: Jiffy)
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 packet sazon seasoning
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup salsa
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 head romaine lettuce, cut into strips
Creamy Lime Dressing, recipe follows
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey jack cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar
Special equipment: glass trifle dish
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an 8 by 8-inch glass pan with butter. Stir together the cornbread mix with the egg and milk. Evenly spread into prepared pan and bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cool completely. Mix together the beans with the sazon and season with salt and pepper. Toss the salsa with the tomatoes. When ready to serve, cut the cornbread into 1/2-inch croutons. Toss the lettuce with 3/4 cups of the dressing. In a clear trifle dish, layer the Tex-Mex Salad beginning with the black beans followed by the Monterey jack cheese, the tomato salsa mixture, the Cheddar, the dressed romaine and top with the cornbread croutons. Serve the remaining dressing on the side.


Creamy Lime Dressing:
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon lime zest
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup sour cream
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Special equipment: blender
Blend all the ingredients except the olive oil until smooth. While machine is running, slowly drizzle in the oil until incorporated. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Cerveza-Battered Fish Tacos with Quick-Pickled Onion and Cucumber

Ingredients
Vegetable oil, for frying
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
3 teaspoons salt
12 ounces beer
3 (8-ounce) tilapia fillets, cut into chunks
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Quick-Pickled Onion and Cucumber, recipe follows
Directions
Fill a large pot with oil halfway up the pot. Heat oil to 350 degrees F. Preheat grill.

In a medium bowl, mix together 1 cup flour, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Slowly whisk in beer until thick, but not runny. Dredge fish in remaining flour first, then dunk in the batter. Fry in batches until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper-toweled lined plate.

Meanwhile, grill tortillas on grill.

Serve fish in tortillas topped with Quick-Pickled Onion and Cucumber.

Quick-Pickled Onion and Cucumber:
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon salt
1 large red onion, medium dice
1 large Vidalia onion, medium dice
1 English cucumber, medium dice
1 habanero chile, seeds removed, minced
1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves
In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil the vinegar, sugar, water, and salt. Add onions and cucumber and continue to cook a few minutes more. Remove from heat, add chile, and transfer to a bowl. Let cool slightly then chill covered, for at least 1 hour.

Toss in the tomato and cilantro, 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6 cups