Shrimp and grits is the pinnacle of southern comfort food, at the intersection of tradition, sophistication, and indulgence. The timeless combo also epitomizes the merging of simple, relatively inexpensive ingredients into an elegant, five star-tasting dinner in just minutes. In fact, by presentation, this bowl may come off as special-occasion-only or impractical for busy nights. When actually, this is one of the quickest and easiest scratch-made meals you can throw together any day. (Just don’t tell your family or guests that. By taste, this bowl is worthy of all the celebration and hype of birthdays, graduations, and romantic date nights.)
Because the dish is quite simple, the key is quality ingredients… a good rule to follow when cooking in general. For the tastiest shrimp, I recommend wild pink or wild royal red shrimp (for Florida locals). Otherwise, the freshest shrimp in your area. Pan-searing takes minimal time and effort and produces a beautifully blackened, succulent result.
The homemade Cajun spice blend comes together instantly, and it is so worth making on your own. It delivers exceptional flavor while requiring no more than pantry staples. Also, the spices can readily be adjusted for different tastes, salt and heat sensitivities. Likewise, the pan sauce takes just seconds: a splash of white wine to deglaze all the yummy concentrated browned bits from the skillet (from the bacon, shrimp, and spice rub), broth as needed, a touch of lemon to brighten the flavors, and a small dab of butter to meld everything together.
Finally, the grits are essential… for daily living as well as this recipe. I love Bob’s Red Mill yellow or white corn grits/polenta–they cook in just 10 minutes, are whole grain, and retain an old-fashioned taste and texture. Milk or a splash of half & half, fresh minced garlic, fresh sweet corn if in season, a dab of optional butter, smoked cheddar (shredded from the block), and torn crispy bacon (I use Applegate turkey bacon) take them out of this world.
On the side are garlic roasted Brussel’s sprouts with honey Dijon glaze: Chop Brussel’s sprouts, toss with a light drizzle of olive oil plus freshly minced garlic or garlic sea salt, roast at 425 15ish minutes (or until tender and lightly charred). Mix 1:1:1:1 whole grain Dijon, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and honey, and toss with the veggies after roasting. Finish with ground black pepper and sea salt to taste.
Cajun Shrimp and Smoked Cheddar Grits
Succulent wild shrimp coated in a homemade spicy Cajun blend, quickly pan-seared with a light buttery pan sauce. Served with crisp bacon over extra creamy, sweet garlicky grits laced with melty smoked cheddar.
Ingredients
FOR THE GRITS:
- 1 cup water
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 70g (1/2 cup) yellow corn grits
- 1/2 cup milk (at least 1%, or combo of milk and 1-2 Tbsp half & half)
- 1/3 cup fresh corn kernels (optional)
- ~1/2 tsp minced fresh garlic
- 1-2 tsp unsalted butter
- 1 oz smoked cheddar, shredded (may sub white/aged cheddar, gouda/smoked gouda, or fontina)
FOR THE SHRIMP:
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- ~1/4 tsp fresh (or 1/8 tsp dried) thyme
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp cayenne (or to taste)
- 7-8 oz raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (recommend wild pink or red shrimp)
- 2 slices bacon (I use turkey bacon)
- ~1 tsp oil (high heat stable)
- ~1 Tbsp dry white wine
- ~1/4 cup chicken broth (adjust for consistency)
- ~1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- ~2 tsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Make the grits: Add water and salt to a small/medium saucepan; bring to a boil, then immediately stir in grits and reduce heat. Stir in milk (and half & half if using), fresh corn (if using), and garlic. Simmer on low-medium 6-7 minutes, until thickened. Cover, remove from heat, and rest 5-6 minutes longer. Fold in butter and cheese. Divide between 2 shallow bowls.
- Meanwhile, mix onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, chili powder, thyme, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl. Add shrimp and toss to evenly coat.
- Cook bacon in a skillet on medium heat on both sides until crisp; set aside. When cool, tear and assemble over the grits in the bowls.
- Remove excess bacon grease from the skillet or add 1 tsp oil (if using a leaner bacon). Raise heat to medium/medium-high. Add shrimp and sear about 2 minutes per side, or until opaque in the center. When cooked, transfer shrimp to bowls atop the grits.
- Reduce heat, then add wine and 2-3 Tbsp broth, stirring to scrape up browned bits. Add more broth as needed as the sauce simmers, until a slightly thickened glaze forms. Stir in lemon juice and butter. Spoon pan sauce over shrimp and grits.
- Finish with fresh chopped chives.