Old Charleston Style Shrimp and Grits

Bring 3 c water, 1 c coarsely ground grits, and 2 tsp salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan with a lid. Stir in 2 cups half-and-half and simmer until grits are thickened and tender, 15 to 20 min. Set aside and keep warm. NEXT: Sprinkle 2 pounds uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined with a pinch of salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper; drizzle with juice of 1 lemon. Set aside in a bowl. NEXT: Place 1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices in a large skillet over medium heat; fry sausage until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. NEXT: Cook 5 slices bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Retain bacon drippings in skillet. Transfer bacon slices to paper towels, let cool, and crumble. NEXT: Cook and stir 1 green, 1 red, and 1 yellow bell peppers, chopped, 1 c. onion, chopped, and 1 tsp minced garlic in the bacon drippings until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. NEXT: Stir shrimp and cooked vegetables into the andouille sausage and mix to combine. NEXT: Melt 1/4 c. butter in a saucepan over medium heat; stir in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour to make a smooth paste. Turn heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is medium brown in color, 8 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully, mixture burns easily. NEXT: Pour the butter-flour mixture into the skillet with andouille sausage, shrimp, and vegetables. Place the skillet over medium heat and pour in 1 c. chicken broth, bacon and 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, cooking and stirring until the sauce thickens and the shrimp become opaque and bright pink, about 8 minutes. NEXT: Just before serving, mix 1 c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese into grits until melted and grits are creamy and light yellow. Serve shrimp mixture over cheese grits.