Main, Seafood

Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

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Shrimp and Grits is one of my favorite dishes when we visit down South. Since travelling isn’t really in the cards these days, I thought we could take a culinary trip right from my kitchen in Jersey.

I researched this dish from a few sources as it has so much history. I liked Bobby Deen’s tip to use Canadian bacon in lieu of regular bacon since it is a leaner cut of pork. 

I like to season my shrimp with Old Bay for extra flavor. Top with fresh chopped scallions for a bit of brightness before serving. 

Shrimp and Cheesy Grits
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Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

Recipe by Susan LeiserCourse: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes

Ingredients

  • For the shrimp

  • 1 lb. cleaned, peeled and deveined shrimp

  • 1 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil

  • 3 Canadian bacon slices, diced

  • 1 onion, chopped

  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/2 cup white wine

  • 1 cup seafood stock

  • 1/4 cup half and half

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • Green tops of 3 scallions, chopped

  • For the cheesy grits

  • 1 cup Quaker Quick 5-minute Grits

  • 4 cups water

  • Salt

  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

  • 2 Tbsp. butter

Directions

  • For the shrimp
  • In a large bowl, toss shrimp with Old Bay seasoning.
  • In a large pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil and diced Canadian bacon. Brown for a few minutes. Be careful because the bacon can pop and spatter.  Carefully remove to a small plate and set aside.
  • In the same pan, add bell pepper and onion. Cook for 5-8 minutes to soften vegetables. Add garlic. Cook another minute.
  • Add stock, wine and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for five minutes. Add half and half. Stir until combined. 
  • Gently place seasoned shrimp into simmering broth. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes. Shrimp should be pink and opaque. Return Canadian bacon back to pan. Stir. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.
  • For the cheesy grits
  • In a medium pot with a lid, bring water to a boil. Add salt. 
  • Slowly add grits stirring while pouring them in to the boiling water. I like to stir with a whisk, but a wooden spoon works just fine. Cover with the lid. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Stir occasionally during the cooking period. If a thicker consistency is desired, cook a few minutes more uncovered and continue to stir.
  • Remove from heat. Stir in cheese and garlic powder. Once incorporated, stir in butter. Add a pinch of salt, if desired. 

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