I don’t know how authentic this recipe is, but I do know it is a huge hit with my family and everyone who has tried it. I hope you enjoy my version of this popular dish.
For the shrimp you will need:
1 pound of bacon (can omit and use your favorite oil of choice)
2 pounds of raw shrimp, peeled and deveined*
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons (or more) of my Cajun spice (see recipe under tips) or your favorite Cajun spice blend
1/2 – 1 stick of butter
1/4 cup of white wine you would drink (not sweet) or chicken stock (can use broth)
1 bunch of green onion, chopped**
For the grits you will need:
1 cup of old fashioned grits
4 cups of chicken broth or stock
2 tablesooons of butter
1/4 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese (more if you like it extra cheesy)
For the shrimp:
Chop the bacon and place in a large sauté pan. Fry until crisp; remove, drain on a paper towel and set aside. In the same pan, add the onion and peppers to the bacon fat and cook for 3-5 minutes on medium high heat. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the cajun seasoning and stir. Add the garlic, butter, shrimp and the remaining cajun seasoning and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the wine or chicken broth/stock and simmer for an additional 3 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink. You do not want to overcook the shrimp.
For the grits:
While the bacon is rendering, start your grits and cook according to the packaging making sure to use the chicken broth/stock instead of water. The grits will take 20 minutes to cook. Be sure to stir them, occasionally, during the cooking process to prevent lumps. One minute before the cooking time ends, stir in the 2 tablespoons of butter and the 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese.
To assemble, ladle some of the grits into a shallow bowl. Top with the shrimp, chopped green onion and bacon.
Enjoy!
*I use wild caught extra jumbo shrimp – 16/20 per pound or colossal- 13/15 per pound
**the chopped green onion isn’t shown in my picture but, trust me, you want to add it. I just snapped the picture before sprinkling it on top.
#yumola