Instead of the usual multi-family Easter dinner, we had a small affair this year with just our two sons and our older son’s fiancee. Our younger son has gotten good at sourdough starters and made waffles using some excess starter a couple weeks ago. Older son mentioned he hasn’t had the fried chicken from Guernsey Farms Dairy in a long time, so we settled on chicken and waffles. I also bought some shrimp, and thought a good alternative for those who don’t eat chicken would be shrimp and grits.
The grits were straightforward – just grits and water, cooked until done, but with the addition of shredded Jarlsberg Swiss cheese off the heat. And the shrimp were already cooked, so they didn’t have to simmer in the sauce. I decided to make a sauce and add the shrimp just to warm them up before serving.
After consulting a few recipes, I decided just to wing it. Having had shrimp and grits in some of New Orleans’ finest restaurants (the best so far was at Emeril Lagasse’s NOLA in the Quarter) I knew the flavors I wanted. For a first attempt, it turned out great.
Shrimp & Grits
For this recipe, I used already-cooked shrimp, but it’s preferred to use raw shrimp. The juices that are released during the cooking flavor the sauce, and the risk of overcooking the shrimp is reduced. Serves four.
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp, 26-30 count, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 stalk celery, chopped finely
- 1/2 bell pepper (red, green or a combination)
- 2 scallions, sliced fine
- 1 teaspoon Emeril Lagasse’s Essence spice mix
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 6 ounces heavy cream or half-and-half
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup quick cooking grits
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
Method
In a small (1 1/2 quart) saucepan, add the salt to the water and bring to a boil. Stir in grits, reduce heat, cover and cook until grits are thickened, stirring every few minutes. Off the heat, stir in the cheese, one-quarter at a time, adding more as each addition is fully combined.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, then add the celery, peppers, scallions and Essence. Cook for two to three minutes until peppers and celery are softened. Add the shrimp and cook until they just turn pink. Reduce heat to low, add the cream and stir to combine.
To serve, spoon out grits and top with shrimp and sauce.
You can certainly “up” your grits game by using stone-ground grits. I like Anson Mills grits from South Carolina. Just be aware of the extended cooking time – they take from 30-45 minutes.