Daddy here. Daughter and I made shrimp and grits tonight. We tried last weekend but the recipe was somewhat of a bummer. We did not, however, give up. We did some research and found two recipes from Food Network. Our final delicious recipe is based on two recipes: One from Bobby Flay and another from Joe Barnet. We highly recommend this version. Daughter is not a big shrimp fan so she sort of had bacon and grits! Let us know if you try it.
Daddy’s Shrimp and Grits
Makes 5 big servings
| Grits 6 cups shrimp or seafood stock (e.g. Kitchen basics low sodium) Kosher salt 1 3/4 cups white quick grits (Any grits will work but adjust cook time as per box) 2 cups grated sharp Cheddar Freshly ground black pepper 6 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish | Sautéed Shrimp 3/4 pound thick double-smoked cut bacon, cut into 1 inch squares 3 tablespoons pure olive oil 1 pound medium (~30 count) shrimp, shelled and deveined 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (Optional: 8-16 ounces sliced sugar cured country ham) |
· Bring the stock and 1 teaspoons of kosher salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Slowly whisk in the grits and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until the grits are soft and have lost their gritty texture, whisking every few minutes, about 10 minutes. If the mixture becomes too thick, add remaining extra stock or water and continue cooking until absorbed. Add the cheese about 5 minutes before serving and whisk until smooth; season with salt and pepper as desired.
For the shrimp and bacon (and ham):
· Place the optional ham on a cooking sheet and bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove and cut into squares to add the shrimp later.
· Simultaneously, place bacon in a medium pan (NOT NONSTICK) over medium heat and cook until golden brown and crisp and the fat has rendered. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. You will place this over the shrimp later.
· Remove all but 4-5 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan and place back on the heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil to pan and increase the heat to medium high. Add the shrimp to the pan with the garlic. Sauté until golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove shrimp to a plate. Reserve the garlic oil to drizzle over the finished dish.
· Divide the grits among 5 plates and top each with 8 shrimp and some of the bacon and/or ham. Drizzle the top with some of the bacon-garlic oil (that the shrimp were sautéed in) and sprinkle with some of the green onion.
