Sea Bass and Shrimp over Grits

This is one of the most soul-satisfying dishes I have ever made, but also on the more expensive side, in comparison to some of the other dishes I've made. When planning my weekly menus I try to incorporate mostly less-expensive meals with one or two more-expensive meals and I'm still able to stay on track. This dish can be served by itself with a piece of crusty bread, over linguine pasta, or the way I enjoy it is over grits or polenta.

Equipment: Large dutch oven (similar to a Le Creuset) and a 2 qt or larger sauce pot


6 ounce bacon, about 5 strips - cut into inch cubes -- $1.49
1 medium onion - chopped medium dice -- $0.75
3 garlic cloves - smashed -- $0.10
1 red bell pepper - medium dice -- $1.29
1/4 cup dry white wine -- $0.31
1-28 ounce can whole tomatoes - rough chop -- $1.49
1 tsp dried Mexican oregano (if you have or can only find regular dried oregano that's fine too) -- $0.02
4 tsp hot sauce (whatever is your favorite) -- $0.08
1/4 cup heavy cream -- $0.31
2 tsp salt -- $0.02
1-8 ounce piece wild sea bass - cut into 2 inch pieces -- $6.49 
1 1b wild, raw, large 18-20 count shrimp (peeled and devained) -- $10.99
1/4 cup fresh parsley - chopped -- $0.42


1 cup dried corn polenta -- $0.87
3 cups water -- $0.00


Total cost of entire meal = $24.63


Render bacon in dutch oven until crispy. Drain bacon onto paper towel reserving the oil in the pot. Saute onion until translucent, about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the smashed garlic and bell pepper and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 additional minute. Add tomatoes, Mexican oregano, cream, hot sauce and salt. Bring mixture to a boil and then lower heat to med-low and simmer for 20 minutes until all the flavors have melded together. About 10 minutes before you are about to eat you want to add the fish and shrimp. (If you do this step too soon the shrimp will be rubbery and the fish will be dry. You can even cook the mixture ahead of time, refrigerate it or freeze it and when you're ready to eat bring the mixture back to a boil and add the fish and shrimp.) Season the fish and shrimp with salt only and carefully nestle the fish and shrimp throughout the mixture. Add a lid and continue to simmer until fish and shrimp are cooked about 6-8 minutes. Fish will be firm and flaky and shrimp should be firm and pink. Mix in fresh parsley and cooked bacon from earlier, being careful not to break up the fish. Spoon mixture over grits or polenta. 


When maxing grits or polenta follow the directions on the package. Most corn polenta calls for a 3 to 1 ration but it's best to look at the package for cooking directions. 


Makes 4 large portions. 


How to modify for:
Vegetarians: Replace the bacon with olive oil and replace the fish and shrimp with vegetables like zucchini, summer squash and eggplant and make this dish more like a ratatouille if you will. Add the vegetables at the same time you add the red pepper and cook the mixture until the vegetables are tender about 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the dice. 
Vegans: Follow the same directions as the vegetarians but remove the heavy cream.
Pescatarians: Replace the bacon with olive oil. 
Lactose intolerance: Omit the heavy cream and try stirring in plain goat or sheep's milk yogurt right before serving. You will still be able to achieve the creamy effect without the heavy cream.
This is a gluten free meal!!