Shrimp & Grits

Okay Everyone, So here's my first post. I tried this recipe which is from the Food Network's Throwdown with Bobby Flay and it sounded better than some other recipes I've tried for this dish. It has some kick to it with the Cajun seasoning and the grits are soo delicious with the tomato and cheese and sooo creamy. Really delicious..Now my girls are super picky eaters...so they didn't love it as much as I did...such a shame :) here we go...

some of my ingredients

Georgia Shrimp ‘n’ Grits
adapted from Joe Barnett’s Recipe
3/4 lb. wild Georgia shrimp
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes (or 2 tsp. instant)
2 tablespoon butter
1 cup quick-cooking grits
3 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup heavy cream
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon butter
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
4 teaspoons flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon Texas Pete (is there any other kind?) :)
1 slice cured country ham, cooked and torn into pieces



1. Peel and de-vein the shrimp. (Okay, so I do my shopping at Walmart, and though I should probably get my shrimp somewhere better, I don't live on the Outer Banks anymore, so fresh shrimp is not so easy to come by. And I know, it's blasphemous coming from there, but I got frozen shrimp...don't yell at me:) ) I put them in a strainer, which I placed in a bowl filled with cool water while I prepped so they could thaw. They were ready by the time I was. I had to peel of the tails though but they were peeled and de-veined.) I just laid them on a paper towel and patted dry.
2.Combine in a small bowl the Cajun seasoning, (I actually make my own cajun seasoning, I will post the recipe later) the paprika, the Italian seasoning, and the pepper. Sprinkle the mixture over the shrimp, tossing until they are well coated. Set aside. (However, I just threw them in a gallon freezer bag, and poured in the seasonings and tossed. Made it much easier.) These were quite spicy, so if you don't like too much of a kick, then I wouldn't coat them fully, just sprinkle it on to your liking.




3. Next, pour the water, the chicken boullion (I use instant boullion powder, I can't stand the cubes, dissolving is a pain) and the butter into a heavy saucepan.



4. Bring the mixture to a full boil. Slowly add in the grits, and whisk constantly, cooking over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, the cream, and the cheddar cheese. Continue to cook and whisk for 2-3 more minutes, until grits become very creamy and thick. To quote the original recipe, “Don’t skimp on the butter and the cream, folks.” I did add more cream to the grits because they were too thick...Man were these good...look how creamy they are!


5. In a large skillet, (One thing you'll learn is thatI love my cast iron skillet, just preheat it for a couple minutes before) melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat.  (careful not to burn the butter or it doesn't taste good)  Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Pour in the spiced shrimp and cook JUST until they are done and tender, about 2 minutes (depending on the size of your shrimp). Do not overcook or your shrimp will get rubbery. Remove the shrimp from the pan to a clean bowl and set aside.

6. Return the pan to the stove. Add the flour to the drippings, stirring to make the base of a roux. Cook for 10 minutes until medium tan in color. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and the cream. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the worchestershire sauce and hot sauce, stirring to incorporate.



7. In a small pan add the country ham. (Again, since I am busy with 3 kids and shop at Walmart, I just got a ham steak :) ) And brown on both sides, then dice.
Serve the shrimp on a generous bed of grits, topped with the roux sauce and ham cubes. I know my pictures are not the most amazing, but you can get the gist of what I did at least. If you have any questions feel free to comment! I'd love to hear your thoughts! More recipes to come...