Fare Exchange: Finding recipes for shrimp and grits, coconut cake

Good morning and welcome to Fare Exchange. Today's requests are for Pimiento Cheese Grits and Roasted Garlic Grits, one that asks which grits are the best brand and any ideas for preparing pulled pork in a crock pot, the end result being meat that tastes as good as smoked pork.

A reader who calls herself A.E. attended a brunch "at the trendy West Egg in Atlanta. I especially want their recipe for pimiento cheese grits and roasted garlic grits since I see a lot of others have been writing about grits. And does it matter what kind of grits you buy? I was recently in Charleston, S.C. and had shrimp and grits. The waiter said the grits were from Anson Mills. Are they available locally?"

And she added a request for preparing pulled pork in a crock pot. "It needs to taste as good as something smoked on the grill outside, as it is for a special occasion."

We'll stick with grits a little longer thanks to Sylvia Smith, who thinks the recipe she sent came from "Southern Living." "It is made with chicken broth and the half and half makes very creamy grits," she said. "I do not use the hot sauce but it is a matter of personal taste."

Crook's Corner Shrimp and Grits

This is from Bill Neal at the Chapel Hill, N.C., eatery.

2 cups water

1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth

3/4 cup half and half

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup regular grits

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

3 bacon slices

1 pound medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

Lemon wedges

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until thickened. Add cheddar cheese and next 4 ingredients. Keep warm.

Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon and set aside.

Sprinkle shrimp with pepper and salt; dredge in flour.

Sauté mushrooms in hot drippings in skillet 5 minutes or until tender. Add green onions and sauté 2 minutes, or until shrimp are lightly brown. Stir in fat-free chicken broth, lemon juice and hot sauce, and cook 2 more minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet.

Serve shrimp mixture over hot cheese grits. Top with crumbled bacon; serve with lemon wedges.

YOGURT DRESSING

We have Clifford Burdette to thank for the Greek yogurt dressing that follows. It is the well-known tzatziki sauce served with Greek food, particularly lamb, but here it double as a salad dressing.

Tzatziki Sauce

1/2 cup (8 ounces) mayonnaise

1/2 cup (8 ounces) Greek yogurt (sour cream may be substituted)

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons red wine or white vinegar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or chopped celery leaves

1 clove minced garlic

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Salt to taste

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir or whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt. Refrigerate 3 hours or more to marry flavors. May be made a day or two in advance if stored in an airtight container and refrigerated.

COCONUT CAKE

Sometimes I forget about coconut cake. When a reader asked recently where to buy the best coconut cake in town (we're still waiting for that answer), another reader asked about making the best cake in town. You answered. Kaye Vaughn came first, crediting her sister Faye for the recipe. Then Karen sent hers and Diane Marrs and Betty Niswonger. Ms. Marrs, whose coconut cake is a favorite request from family and friends, said the cake tastes better if made the day before. Ms. Niswonger reported that the cake is more moist after several days. It's always good to have a make-ahead dish for a special occasion, or really for any occasion.

Two versions follow with slight but not insignificant variations.

This one is from Karen, and here is her commentary: "I prefer the recipe that uses the coconut milk in the cake -- but I wouldn't turn down the other. This is a dangerous cake to have in the house."

Triple Coconut Cake

1 Betty Crocker white cake mix

1 1/4 cups coconut milk

1 (15-ounce) can cream of coconut

8-ounce container frozen whipped topping

1 cup flaked coconut

Prepare cake mix according to directions on the box, substituting coconut milk for water in the mix. Bake in a 9-by-13-inch pan. Check cake at least 5 minutes before the box directions. If you overbake the crust will be too dry to absorb the cream of coconut.

While the cake is still warm, poke holes all over the cake with a skewer. Warm cream of coconut for 1 1/2 minutes on high in the microwave, and pour over the cake. Chill for several hours or overnight. Frost with whipped topping. Sprinkle flaked coconut on top. Keep refrigerated.

Coco Lopez Cake

1 yellow cake mix with pudding

1 cans Coco Lopez cream of coconut (not coconut milk)

1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

1 large carton Cool Whip

1 package frozen coconut

Bake cake as directed on the package in a 9-by-13-inch pan. While cake is still hot in the pan, punch many holes in the cake. Pour cream of coconut and Eagle Brand milk over the cake. Cover with Cool Whip and sprinkle with coconut.

RHUBARB

Loleta Hammontree has found frozen rhubarb at Publix on East Brainerd Road. "I always keep one in the freezer and replace when used." Now, Ms. H., what do you do with that rhubarb? You sound like the rhubarb voice of experience, so we hope you will tell us more.

And indeed there will be more. We can count on all of you for that, and will watch for you next week.