Recipe: Rahanna Bisseret Martinez’s Jalapeño Shrimp with Chard and Grits

At 19 years old, Oakland’s Rahanna Bisseret Martinez has interned at some of the top restaurants around the world, including Chef Panisse in Berkeley and Californios in San Francisco.

During her time at Curtis Stone’s Gwen Butcher Shop & Restaurant in Los Angeles, the “Top Chef Junior” finalist made this “hearty yet light” shrimp and grits dish for a staff meal, and all 50 team members cleaned their plates. Bisseret Martinez suggests serving it with a green salad and a peach agua fresca.

The recipe is one of 70-plus global dishes in her debut cookbook, “FLAVOR+US: Cooking for Everyone” (4 Color Books, $30).

Jalapeño Shrimp with Chard and Grits

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Grits:

2⁄3 cup stone-ground grits, preferably organic

1⁄3 cup 2-percent milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Kosher salt

Shrimp:

1⁄2 yellow onion

3 garlic cloves

2 jalapeños, seeded

1⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided use

1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

Chard:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 bunch Swiss chard, stemmed and cut crosswise into 1-inch strips

Kosher salt

Herby Infused Oil (recipe below)

DIRECTIONS

Make the grits: In a stockpot or large cast-iron pot, combine the grits and 6 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium or medium-low, whichever keeps a light simmer and not a boil, and let cook for 1 hour. The grits will likely bubble, so don’t forget to stir them occasionally and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon so it doesn’t scorch.

Meanwhile, marinate the shrimp: In a blender, combine the onion, garlic, jalapeños and 1⁄4 cup  olive oil and process until smooth. Pour the sauce into a medium bowl, add the shrimp and stir to coat. Refrigerate until it is time to cook the shrimp.

Make the chard: Heat a skillet over low heat and add the oil, garlic and chard leaves and season with salt. Cook, stirring, until the chard begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. Cover the skillet with a lid and remove from the heat, which will allow the chard to continue wilting.

Once the grits have been cooking for 1 hour, add the milk and butter and season with salt. Stir, cover the pot, and let sit off the heat for 10 minutes.

Now, finish the shrimp: Place a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Remove the bowl of shrimp from the fridge. Once the skillet is heated, lift each shrimp with tongs, let some sauce drip back into the bowl, and place into the skillet. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, until pink and just starting to curl. You may need to brown the shrimp in two batches, depending on the size of your skillet. To serve, divide the grits among four shallow serving bowls, add small piles of chard to each and top with the shrimp and Herby Infused Oil.