Shrimp and Grits -- One of President Obama's Favorites

In reading an interview Barack Obama gave several months ago, he said his favorite foods for dinner were thin-crust pizza from the Italian Fiesta Pizzeria in Chicago, chili (I've posted his own recipe here), and shrimp and grits. I found several recipes online and thought that this one, courtesy of AOL Food, looked especially good.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 lbs medium shrimp, peeled, halved lengthwise, and deveined if you wish
• 1  lemon, juice of
•  hot pepper sauce, to taste
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt (or more, to taste)
• 1 1⁄2 cups  stone-ground grits (not instant or quick cooking)
• 6  slices bacon, thick slices, chopped
• 1  small onion, finely chopped
• 1⁄4 cup  finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 1⁄2 cup  thinly sliced scallion
• 2  tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1  cup  chicken stock
• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1  cup  grated medium to sharp cheddar cheese
•  Tabasco sauce or   other  hot pepper sauce

Directions

1. Combine the shrimp with the lemon juice and a few generous splashes of hot pepper sauce (or less, to taste). Let sit while you begin the grits and gravy.
2. Prepare the grits in a large heavy saucepan, first bringing 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a boil. Whisk in the grits a few handfuls at a time. (They will bubble up initially.) When you have added all the grits, reduce the heat to a very low simmer and cook over low heat for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently toward the end.
3. While the grits simmer, get the gravy underway. Fry the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until brown but still limp. Stir in the onion, green pepper and garlic, and continue cooking until the onion and pepper are limp, about 5 minutes. Add the scallions, sprinkle the flour over the mixture, stir, and continue sauteeing for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the stock and remaining salt, and cook for 5 minutes longer. Remove from the heat while you finish the grits.
4. When the grits are thick and creamy, stir in the butter, followed by the cheese. Add a splash of hot pepper sauce and additional salt if you like. Cover the grits while you finish the gravy.
5. Return the gravy to medium heat and stir in the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are opaque throughout, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately, mounding the grits in large shallow bowls or on plates, and covering them with shrimp and gravy.