Shrimp and Grits

 Shrimp and Grits

There is really no more of an iconic dish, that represents Southern cooking than Shrimp & Grits. This is a traditional dish that can find it’s roots in the deep South. Grits were a primary foodstuff for slaves during the pre-Civil War era of the United States of America. Grits which come from ground corn are native to the Americas and its simple preparation and cheap cost made it a viable option for slaves during the 19th century. The usage of grits are still immensely popular in the South, so much so that 75% of grits sold in the U.S. are sold to the South.

Shrimp is a staple of Cajun cuisine and is readily available in the Gulf region of the United States. As a result, of the popularity of grits and shrimp in Southern cooking, the inevitable partnership of ingredients eventually happened and you got Shrimp and Grits!

Fun fact I never really had grits growing up, because they don’t exist in Iranian cooking and are entirely American food. So I didn’t get to really try them until I was 21. Why then? Because my fiancee’s mom makes cheesy grits every Christmas. That was my first experience with grits and they are super satisfying. Grits are usually served for breakfast, but I think they really lend themselves to a savory dinner dish.

Now there are tons of ways of preparing Shrimp and Grits.  But I think the best way of doing it is by making a simple cheesy sauce for the grits, while quickly cooking the shrimp ensuring that they do not dry out.

Shrimp is very healthy as it is high in protein, omega-3’s, and it can improve your good to bad cholesterol ratio.

 

Recipe

Ingredients

1lb of Shrimp – Deveined

2 Cloves of Crushed Garlic

1/2 Cup of Diced Onions

2 Tbsp. of Butter

2 leaves of Sage

2 Tsp. Old Bay

4 Cups of Milk

2 Cups of Grits

2 Tsp. Salt

1/2 Cup of Cheddar Cheese

3 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese

1 Tbsp. Garlic Powder

1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

4 Tbsp. Chicken Broth

1/8 Cup of White Wine

Method

First prepare your grits, heat your milk to a slow boil, then add your grits. The grits will cook fairly quickly, now add your cheeses and stir them in with the 1 Tsp. of Old Bay, salt, and garlic powder.

As the grits thicken , keep stirring and set aside. Now heat 1 Tbsp. of the butter with the sage until it turns slightly brown and add  the crushed garlic. As these begin to brown, add your shrimp and the old bay. These should cook in about 5 to 6 minutes, as soon as they turn bright pink and are no longer translucent, add your white wine. Quickly deglaze the pan and then remove the shrimp from your pan.

With the remaining juices in the pan, add the Tbsp. of butter to the pan,  the chicken broth, and lemon juice. Allow these to thicken and then pour over the shrimp.

Serve with your cheesy grits and enjoy!