Grits a Ya Ya

3 ½ cups chicken stock

¾ cup old fashioned grits

¼ cup heavy cream, plus more as needed

1 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese, or more to taste

¼ cup butter

8 slices bacon, chopped

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 splash white wine

1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 cups chopped spinach

1 cup chopped portobello mushrooms

¼ cup sliced green onions

2 cups heavy cream

1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a saucepan over high heat.

Slowly pour the grits into the stock while stirring constantly.

Reduce heat to low; simmer until the grits are tender and thick, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in 1/4 cup heavy cream to thin the grits.

Stir in the Gouda cheese and 1/4 cup butter until melted and smooth.

While the grits are cooking, place the bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium heat; cook until the bacon fat is rendered, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the shallot and garlic; cooking and stirring until the shallots are tender, about 5 minutes.

Pour in the white wine and stir in 3 tablespoons butter, cooking and stirring until the butter has melted.

Drop the shrimp in the skillet; cook and stir until they are bright pink on the outside and the meat is no longer transparent in the center, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the spinach, mushrooms, and green onions; cook and stir until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes more.

Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon.

Stir in 2 cups heavy cream. Simmer until the cream is reduced by about a third, about 10 minutes.

Season with hot sauce, salt, and pepper.

Return the shrimp to the skillet to heat through.

Serve shrimp and sauce over the prepared grits.