Shrimp and Grits
Karen mentioned that the real star of this recipe is the smooth, creamy, cheese-infused grits. However, she included her shrimp recipe with a mention that you could easily substitute your own as long as the flavor is not too strong. The grits are absolutely yummy, Karen says, so you don’t want the shrimp recipe to overwhelm them.
Ingredients
For the shrimp
- 1½ pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined with tail removed
- 8 slices bacon, chopped
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- 1 cup thinly sliced scallions
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
For the grits
- 4 cups unsalted chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons salt (adjust down if using salted broth or stock)
- 1 cup stone ground white grits (preferably Carolina grits)
- ¼ cup diced red bell pepper
- ¼ cup diced green bell pepper
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
- Salt and pepper as needed
Instructions
- To prepare the shrimp: Rinse the shrimp and pat dry. Fry the bacon in a large skillet until browned. Remove the bacon. Sauté the shrimp in the grease until they begin to turn pink. Add the lemon juice, bacon, parsley, scallions, and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes.
- To prepare the grits: Combine the stock and salt in a saucepan over medium high heat. When the stock comes to a boil, whisk in the grits until smooth. Reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 20 minutes, stirring often to prevent the grits from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add the peppers and onions and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the butter in slices. When blended add the cream and cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- When ready to serve: Spoon the grits into individual bowls with shrimp on top and enjoy!
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