A Delicacy from the South

This is perhaps one of the most famous “Southern” seafood specialties. Appearing on menus of hundreds of restaurants all over America, this is especially prevalent along the eastern seaboard, and perhaps most perfected by the South Carolinians.

Below lies the “Ultimate Shrimp and Grits” Recipe:

Total Time: 40 min
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the grits:

• 3 cups milk
• 3 cups heavy cream
• stone-ground white cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the Shrimp:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 pound Andouille or spicy Italian spicy sausage, cut in chunks
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 to 3 bay leaves
• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
• Pinch cayenne pepper, adjust to personal preference
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 4 green onions, sliced

Directions

1. Place a 3-quart pot over medium-high heat
2. Add the milk and cream
3. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal
4. When the grits begin to bubble, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently with a left wooden spoon
5. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and thick
6. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, then thin out with a little extra cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste

For the Shrimp

1. Place a deep skillet over medium heat and coat with the olive oil
2. Add the onion and garlic; sauté for 2 minutes to soften
3. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until there’s a fair amount of fat in the pan and the sausage browns
4. Sprinkle in the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to create a roux
5. Slowly pour in the chicken stock and continue to stir to avoid lumps
6. Add the bay leaves
7. When the liquid comes to a simmer, add the shrimp
8. Poach the shrimp in the stock for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are firm and pink and the gravy is smooth and thick
9. Add the cayenne pepper, Tabasco and lemon juice
10. -Season, then stir in the parsley and green onion
11. Spoon into a serving bowl, add the shrimp mixture and mix well

Serve Immediately

The beautiful thing about Shrimp and Grits is that there IS no Best Way to make this incredible dish. The video to the right is a different recipe than the above, but equally fantastic. Everyone will have a different variation. Just love cooking and what you create.

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