Recipe: Shrimp & Grits

One of my favorite things about growing up on a tiny island on the East Coast was the fantastic seafood. Now that we live a little further inland, we are what I consider "seafood snobs" - AKA, if Red Lobster would use it, it's inferior quality seafood. How can you even compare that to shrimp you buy off the side of the road that were flopping around in the ocean just hours before?

Well, I essentially had to get over my seafood snobbery somewhat or I'd never get to eat any here. So this recipe features the freshest Publix-bought seafood I could find (on sale, of course).

Personal photo

The great thing about this recipe is that it's so variable to your taste. In this particular version, we used:

1/2 # peeled shrimp

Worcestershire sauce

Butter

Garlic

Small can white shoepeg corn

Shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Sauteed shallots

Stone-ground yellow grits

Preparation:

This recipe is so simple - all you do is season your shrimp with whatever you like (we used garlic, onion, and red pepper), and saute them in butter and minced garlic. When they're almost cooked, add in enough Worcestershire to cover all of your shrimp, a healthy bit of soy sauce, and some extra butter to make a bit of sauce. 

Meanwhile, start your grits - they only take about 3 minutes to cook, so they can be working while you're stirring shrimp.

Layer grits, shrimp, and your toppings on, and enjoy! Pictured is shrimp, grits, white shoepeg corn, shallot, and shredded cheddar, with a little toasted baguette on the side.

We've made this several ways, so here's some ideas to spice it up:

- Add mushrooms and onions for some earthiness

- Season the shrimp with Old Bay or dry rub seasoning (recipe upcoming!) instead of making a sauce

- Add in roasted grape tomatoes for some tomato flavor

- Use different types of cheese - White cheddar, smoked provolone, chunky Parmesan, and anything that goes with mushrooms or seafood would work well

- Shred some baby spinach and work it into the grits. Yes, I'd count that as a salad.

- Bacon. Lots of bacon.

- Roast shrimp in lemon and olive oil with your favorite spices, like Italian seasonings, then add them to the rest of the toppings.

You're only limited by your imagination!

BullsBistro Rating: A+++ (Of course, this is our recipe).