Chef’s recipes from the Regional Restaurant Guide
Chef’s from our favorite hot, new restaurants share their secrets

Marinated Sicilian Shrimp
Chef Jeffrey Bates, Giardina’s
Part of Giardina’s now-nightly “off-the-menu” specials, this recipe is a great one to have waiting in the wings. Perfectly seasoned and surprisingly easy, it’s a go-to recipe when entertaining.
2 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined,
tail on, boiled or steamed shrimp
2 lemons, sliced
2 medium red onions, julienne
1 cup sliced black or Kalamata olives
1 cup sliced green olives
1 cup capers
1 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
4 tablespoon pimentos
1 bunch fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Combine lemon juice, oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, cayenne, salt and black pepper in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Pour the marinade over shrimp and mix to coat each shrimp. Add the lemons, onions, olives, capers, bay leaves, pimentos and parsley to the shrimp to marinate. Toss all ingredients together and let marinate for at least 8 hours, but not longer than 24 hours, tossing the mixture in the marinade every couple of hours. Serve chilled on a bed of kale. Serves 25 (approximately 3 shrimp each).

Shrimp and Grits
Chef Anne Colbert Barret, 107
1 cup quick grits
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup sharp grated white cheddar
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon roasted or minced garlic
1 tablespoon Tabasco hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook grits according to instructions on package. As grits are finishing, whisk in butter, cheddar, Parmesan, garlic, cayenne, paprika and Tabasco. After all the ingredients are incorporated, season with salt and pepper.
Shrimp:
2 cups chopped bacon

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp
4 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups sliced white
mushrooms (optional)
3 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups sliced scallions or green onions
Cook the bacon until it begins to brown. Remove from heat, strain and reserve bacon grease and bacon bits. Heat a large skillet until very hot. Add olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease. As the oil begins to smoke, toss in shrimp to cover the bottom of pan. Before stirring, season with salt and pepper. Stir until shrimp begin to turn pink all over. Stir in minced garlic and bacon bits, careful not to burn the garlic. Toss in mushrooms and coat with oil briefly. Add lemon juice and wine. Stir for 30 seconds, or until everything is well coated and incorporated. When ready to server, toss in sliced green onions and stir for about 20 seconds. (If these hold for too long before serving, they will begin to turn brown and lose their crunch.) Server over the patiently waiting cheese grits. Yields 4 servings.

Toasted Pimento Cheese Points
Chef Randall Andrews, Rust
This sandwich is an homage to Garmon’s Ice Cream Parlor in Clarksdale. Now the Big Pink Guesthouse, the chef’s father was a carhop there in his teens.
4 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce
(any brand)
1 cup green Manzanilla olives, sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Chill, overnight is optimum for flavors to set. When ready to serve, remove crust from a thick cut of white bread, such as sourdough. To assemble sandwiches, spread generously, butter the outside of bread slices and grill in a nonstick skillet. Yields approximately 8 cups or 20 sandwiches. DM