I LOVE this recipe!!!! Great summer southern food too! Very easy and quick to make despite the long ingredient list. I think I made this tonight in less than 20 minutes. It will take 30 at most! Servings: 4 normal or 2 happy servings! Above is a happy serving!
SPICY SHRIMP AND CHEESY GRITS
Shrimp:
1 lb de-shelled and deveined medium sized shrimp (RIP Alabama Gulf Shrimp)
4 slices of good bacon cut up into 1/2 inch strips
4 roma tomatoes de-seeded and cup up
4 stalks sliced green onions
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. olive oil
1/4-1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper depending on your spice tastes
1/4-1/2 tsp of paprika
salt and pepper to taste
In a skillet, saute bacon strips with the olive oil (to get the process going) until slightly browned, remove and place on paper towel to drain. Drain most bacon grease leaving 2 tablespoons left in the pan. Add remaining ingredients and saute for 4 minutes. Remove from heat immediately or the shrimp will over cook and not be tender and have that crisp crunch when you bite into them. Add bacon pieces back in mixture.
Variation: Use 1/2 pound shrimp, 1/2 pound peeled crawfish tail meat, and at the end stir in a few tablespoons of heavy whipping cream!
Cheesy Grits:
2 cups milk
1 cup water
1 cup Quick Grits (not instant or regular... quick grits cook in 5 minutes though I let mine sit awhile to firm up)
1/2 packet of ham flavoring
3/4 cup of shredded sharp cheddar
1/4 cup of shredded parmesean
1/2 tsp of garlic powder
Mix milk, water, flavoring, and garlic powder in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, slowly stir in grits and turn the heat down to medium low. Constantly stir for five minutes (might want to wear long sleeves, sometimes grits can pop up and burn when the mixture starts to thicken) and remove from heat. Add cheese and stir thoroughly. Let sit off the heat for another 5 minutes to firm up. This will create very firm almost polenta textured grits but very flavorful and creamy! Not the runny oily grits you get at diners and breakfast hubs across the south.
Serve layered in a bowl with a spoon!
The one I have been waiting for! For a Northerner I do OK with grits but the Cheesy Grits with shrimp is just someting that I don't have much experience with.
ReplyDelete"Grits....they ain't just for breakfast!"
ReplyDeleteI love coarse ground grits with any main dish, shrimp and grits being one of my favorites. Thanks for sharing this classic!
Can this dish look more perfect....hmmm...I don't think so.
ReplyDeleteHi, hope it's OK to contact you here. We would love to include your blog on our giveaway search engine: Giveaway Scout (http://www.giveawayscout.com). Have a look and if interested, use our online form to add your blog (http://www.giveawayscout.com/addblog/ ). thanks, Josh
ReplyDeleteWhile I enjoy your blog, no self respecting South Carolinian (the home of shrimp and grits) would cook with quick grits. Stone ground. Yellow if you can find 'em. Try chicken broth instead of ham flavoring. For a different twist, cook your grits with broth then add in cream cheese at the end and chopped green onions. Then saute your shrimp in butter and lime juice (fresh if you have it)and pour it all over the grits. Delicious, easy, and slightly healthier. (I know, no self respecting SC would not have pork in their shrimp and grits).
ReplyDelete