• 1.5 cups grits
• 7 pieces U15 shrimp, p & d, tail on
• ½ cup star anise – cardamom spice blend
• ½ up lemongrass curry gravy
• 3 pieces plantain, ripe, caramelized
• 1ounce escaveche vegetables

• 2tbsp olive oil
• 1each white onion, medium dice
• 10 each garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 cups  ginger, peeled, sliced
• 4 eachlemongrass stalks, smashed
• ¾cup elery root ( or 6 celery stalks, blanched )
• ½ cup Chinese parsley, roots and stems only
• 1.5 tsp coriander seed powder
• 1each poblano pepper
• ½ tbsp  ancho chile powder
• 3  tbsp salt, kosher
• 4 each tomatoes, vine ripened, rough chop
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1  cup water

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on a medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger and lemongrass. Saute until the mixture begins to brown. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 20 minutes. Blend with a hand blender and strain using a fine sieve. Recipe yields approx. 10 cups.

ESCAVECHE VEGETABLES

• 1/2 lb brown onion, julienne
• ¼  lb yellow bell pepper, julienne
• ¼  lb red bell pepper, julienne
• ¼  lb poblano pepper, julienne
• 1 cp thai sweet chili sauce
• 1 cp rice vinegar

Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl. Mix well until onion’s and peppers are thoroughly coated with the liquid ingredients. Transfer to a plastic Ziploc bag. Marinate for 1 day.

CARAMELIZED PLANTAINS

• 1each  plantain, slice on the bias           

Saute plantain’s until brown and caramelized.

Coat shrimp with spice blend. Saute until cooked ¾ way through.

Ladle grits in a bowl. Pour the gravy around the outer part of the bowl. Spread shrimp around the bowl standing up and with the tail pointing to the outside of the bowl. Put the 3 pieces of plantain between the shrimp, divided evenly. Garnish with the escaveche vegetables.