As National Women’s History Month comes to an end, I decided it was a great time to share my favorite Shrimp and Grits recipe. Shrimp and Grits is normally eaten during brunch. Many may not be aware of this, but the term BRUNCH and its meaning originated here, in the city of New Orleans. That is why this recipe is perfect for the occasion of Women’s History Month. Several sources will tell you that brunch originated in Britain. Most corners of the internet have documented that the theme of late breakfast was invented buy Guy Beringer in 1895. However, New Orleans star chef, Madam Bégué had already established brunch a year prior. She would cook the late breakfast for the workers of the French Market.
There are so many ways you can make Shrimp and Grits. There is barbecue shrimp and grits, where the shrimp is cooked in butter and worcestershire sauce and poured over grits. In creole restaurants you may find Shrimp and Grits topped with a tomato and okra red sauce. My go-to Shrimp and Grits recipe is Cajun. It includes a creamy, brown roux, flavored with the holy trinity and seasonings. It’s a comfort meal.
Veggies:
1/2 cup green onion
1/4 red onion
1/4 red bell pepper
3 celery stalks, chopped
Protein:
1 lbs Shrimp, pealed and deveined (preferably fresh)
1/2 lbs Sausage
Andouille sausage is popular in New Orleans and a signature addition to gumbo, beans, and even shrimp and grits. However, in my shrimp and grits recipe, I used
Verons Green Pepper sausage.Dairy:
1 cup half and half
shredded cheese (your favorite)
2 tablespoons of butter
Seasonings:
Salt
White ground pepper
Seafood seasoning
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Seafood seasoning (your favorite)
More Ingredients
2 cups of Grits
1/2 cup of Flour
Olive oil
1/2 cup of seafood broth
MAKE IT
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Once boiling, add 2 cups of grits and 2 teaspoons of butter.
Preparing the veggies
Begin by mincing your red onion, red bell pepper, and celery stalks and place them aside. Chop your green onion and place them aside away from the other veggies. They’ll be used for garnishing your dish later.
Cook the sausage
Cut your sausage into cubs. Place a teaspoon of olive oil into a saucepan pan and cook the oil on a medium fire until warm. Toss your cubbed sausage into the saucepan and cook until brown. Move the sausage around occasionally so they’re evenly browned on all sides. Once brown, remove from heat, and sat aside.
Stir your grits and add a half cup of half and half to the pot. Stir and allow to cook on a low fire.
Cook the shrimp
Toss your shrimp into the same pan you cooked the sausage in. They’ll fall into the sausage fat and you’ll love the benefits. Sprinkle a dash of salt, pepper, and seafood seasoning over the shrimp. Once the shrimp is cooked, remove from fire, and sat aside.
Your grits should be done cooking. However, leave them on a really low fire, occasionally stirring. Add water if the grits began to thicken too much.
Prepare the gravy
Add olive oil, red onion, red bell pepper, and celery to a sauce pan and sauté veggies until fragrant. Remove from fire and sat aside.
Add a half cup of olive oil to a hot sauce pan along with a cooking spoon of flour. Slowly stir flour, blending it with the olive oil. Consistently stir the mixture over a medium fire until it is peanut butter brown. Once brown, add to the pan with the sautéed veggies and a cup of seafood broth. Once the broth has blended well with the contents of the pot, add 1/4 cup of half and half.
Allow the ingredients to blend and cook slowly. As the ingredients gain a gravy-like consistency, add salt, white ground pepper, garlic and onion powder and seafood seasoning to your liking. Allow to cook, while occasionally stirring for 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
Plating: Many people add the cheese to the grits while it cooks but I love to add the cheese to the individual bowls. This helps the flavor of the cheese to remain in the dish. Add your grits to the bowl. Sprinkle in some cheese and stir until the cheese has melted in the grits.
Grab a soup spoon and scoop up some gravy. Sprinkle it over the grits. Add a few cubs of sausage on top of the grits and 6 shrimp around the bowl. Garnish with green pepper.
This recipe feeds 4!
If you try this dish, tag us in your results. What’s you favorite way to make Shrimp and Grits?
