Wow, it has been a long time since I have been on here. I assure
you it has not been for lack of cooking. I’ll blame it mainly on the
fact that my almost 4-year old boy keeps me on the go 100% of the time.
That said, I have missed blogging. I’ve missed the cooking, the testing, taking the pictures, all of it.
Now that Summer has passed and I can look back on all of the good times that were had on vacations, or at the pool, or just playing in the yard, I notice that food is always tangled up in those memories. Whether it was just a really great hamburger from the grill, or a pork butt that cooked all day long while we played in the sunshine, corn on the cob, or fresh tomatoes, the meals of Summer go hand in hand with the activities and memories that I have.
A recipe that, in my opinion, is not only a Summer meal, but an integral part of living in the south (especially if you live anywhere near the low country) is Shrimp & Grits. Now, I know, I know, I am considered a Yankee in these parts, but in my defense, I have lived in the South now for 20+ years, I have worked in a restaurant alongside many true Southerners, and, I have had many of those said Southerners cook wonderful meals for me, so I feel like I can truly and genuinely appreciate and create the dish.
One point that I tend to be “Yankee-ish” on when it comes to Shrimp and Grits, is that I enjoy having this meal for dinner, although traditionally speaking, it is breakfast fare. I have had a few different versions of Shrimp and Grits, none of which I believe are any more traditional than the other. Some are lighter and have more of a spicy and creamy pink or brown sauce, and some are heavy and have a thick and/or rich gravy-like sauce. The meat used can vary as well. Some versions have bacon, or smoked sausage, while others utilize the traditional andouille.
I myself, like the lighter sauced version, with andouille, smoked sausage, and of course, shrimp. I grill the shrimp a bit just before throwing them in with the sauce, just for the extra flavor and texture that I feel charcoal gives to shrimp. I also cook my grits in milk AND cream no matter what the directions say because, well, it’s creamier of course. Lastly, if you use instant grits, you might get a nasty look from any good Southerner and let’s face it, an extra 20 minutes is nothing when it comes to making a great and memorable meal.
Okay, well, enough rambling. If any self-respecting Southerner is reading this, I am not giving them any information that they haven’t already crammed into their mouth at one point or another anyways. On with the recipe.
Ingredients & Instructions
Grits:
1 C. Yellow or White Corn Grits
¾ C. Whole Milk
¼ C. Heavy Cream
1 ½ C. Water
2-3 Tbsp. Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
Shrimp & Sauce:
2-3 Tbsp. Butter
1 Lb. Shrimp (peeled & deveined)
½ Green Bell Pepper (finely chopped)
½ Vidalia Onion (finely chopped)
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
¼ Lb. Andouille Sausage
¼ Lb. Smoked Beef Sausage
¼ C. White Wine
¼ C. Heavy Cream
1 Can Rotel (hot)
½ Lemon (juiced)
Chives for garnish
Salt & Pepper to taste
For The Grits:
Follow grits package instructions OR, combine all ingredients above (minus the grits) in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the grits and allow to cook on simmer for a couple of minutes without the lid. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and allow grits to absorb the liquid in the pan for 10-15 minutes or until the grits are creamy. Add more milk if needed for desired consistency and set aside.
Shrimp & Sauce:
Salt and pepper your shrimp and grill over charcoal for a minute or two on each side and then set aside. Add butter to saute pan and on medium heat, add sausages to pan. Break up the Andouille the best that you can and then add in the onions and bell peppers to soften. Cook until sausage is browned and vegetables have nicely softened. Deglaze pan with white wine and once reduced, add in rotel, juice of half of a lemon, and cream. Allow mixture to cook until thickened to desired consistency (usually just a few minutes). Add in shrimp to complete cooking 2-3 minutes. Serve over grits and top with chives.
That said, I have missed blogging. I’ve missed the cooking, the testing, taking the pictures, all of it.
Now that Summer has passed and I can look back on all of the good times that were had on vacations, or at the pool, or just playing in the yard, I notice that food is always tangled up in those memories. Whether it was just a really great hamburger from the grill, or a pork butt that cooked all day long while we played in the sunshine, corn on the cob, or fresh tomatoes, the meals of Summer go hand in hand with the activities and memories that I have.
A recipe that, in my opinion, is not only a Summer meal, but an integral part of living in the south (especially if you live anywhere near the low country) is Shrimp & Grits. Now, I know, I know, I am considered a Yankee in these parts, but in my defense, I have lived in the South now for 20+ years, I have worked in a restaurant alongside many true Southerners, and, I have had many of those said Southerners cook wonderful meals for me, so I feel like I can truly and genuinely appreciate and create the dish.
One point that I tend to be “Yankee-ish” on when it comes to Shrimp and Grits, is that I enjoy having this meal for dinner, although traditionally speaking, it is breakfast fare. I have had a few different versions of Shrimp and Grits, none of which I believe are any more traditional than the other. Some are lighter and have more of a spicy and creamy pink or brown sauce, and some are heavy and have a thick and/or rich gravy-like sauce. The meat used can vary as well. Some versions have bacon, or smoked sausage, while others utilize the traditional andouille.
I myself, like the lighter sauced version, with andouille, smoked sausage, and of course, shrimp. I grill the shrimp a bit just before throwing them in with the sauce, just for the extra flavor and texture that I feel charcoal gives to shrimp. I also cook my grits in milk AND cream no matter what the directions say because, well, it’s creamier of course. Lastly, if you use instant grits, you might get a nasty look from any good Southerner and let’s face it, an extra 20 minutes is nothing when it comes to making a great and memorable meal.
Okay, well, enough rambling. If any self-respecting Southerner is reading this, I am not giving them any information that they haven’t already crammed into their mouth at one point or another anyways. On with the recipe.
Ingredients & Instructions
Grits:
1 C. Yellow or White Corn Grits
¾ C. Whole Milk
¼ C. Heavy Cream
1 ½ C. Water
2-3 Tbsp. Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
Shrimp & Sauce:
2-3 Tbsp. Butter
1 Lb. Shrimp (peeled & deveined)
½ Green Bell Pepper (finely chopped)
½ Vidalia Onion (finely chopped)
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
¼ Lb. Andouille Sausage
¼ Lb. Smoked Beef Sausage
¼ C. White Wine
¼ C. Heavy Cream
1 Can Rotel (hot)
½ Lemon (juiced)
Chives for garnish
Salt & Pepper to taste
For The Grits:
Follow grits package instructions OR, combine all ingredients above (minus the grits) in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the grits and allow to cook on simmer for a couple of minutes without the lid. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and allow grits to absorb the liquid in the pan for 10-15 minutes or until the grits are creamy. Add more milk if needed for desired consistency and set aside.
Shrimp & Sauce:
Salt and pepper your shrimp and grill over charcoal for a minute or two on each side and then set aside. Add butter to saute pan and on medium heat, add sausages to pan. Break up the Andouille the best that you can and then add in the onions and bell peppers to soften. Cook until sausage is browned and vegetables have nicely softened. Deglaze pan with white wine and once reduced, add in rotel, juice of half of a lemon, and cream. Allow mixture to cook until thickened to desired consistency (usually just a few minutes). Add in shrimp to complete cooking 2-3 minutes. Serve over grits and top with chives.
