Shrimp and Grits

a southern classic simplified

Omigoodness, this is TO DIE FOR. I served this at a Third Thursday when the theme was “Foods that Caitlin Loves.” Well, I LOVE shrimp and grits, and the all the guests did too.

This easy recipe for Shrimp and Grits is pretty darn rich, so serve it with something green like Asparagus or my easy recipe for Brussel Sprouts.

cooking information

• Yield: 6 Dinner Servings
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cooking Time: 10 minutes

all ingredients

• 1/2 Pound Bacon
• 1 Pound Peeled, Deveined Shrimp (WITH tails)
• 2 Teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
• Salt and Pepper
• 4 Cups Vegetable Stock
• 1 Cup Cornmeal
• 1 Cup White Cheddar, shredded

recipe instruction

1. Prepare your ingredients for the shrimp. Clean your shrimp and chop your bacon into chunks (lardoons).

2. Bring your vegetable stock to a boil in a sauce pot.

3. Brown your bacon pieces on high heat in a non-stick skillet.

4. Once your bacon is brown and crispy, add your shrimp, old bay, salt and pepper. Sauté until the shrimp is opaque and pinkish in color. Will take approximately 2-3 minutes.

5. Once your shrimp is almost completely cooked, whisk your corn meal into your vegetable stock. Reduce to low heat.

6. Whisk the corn meal until it bubbles and thickens in the stock. Whisk in your cheddar cheese.

7. To serve, spoon a heaping portion of grits onto plate. Top with a couple shrimp and enjoy.

cooking tips

• White Cheddar adds a great sharpness to the grits but if you can’t find it in the grocery store you could always substitute Sharp Cheddar, or any of your favorite cheeses.
• Cornmeal can be found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores near the flour. It can also be found in the international aisle, Italian section, and be called polenta instead of cornmeal. (Cornmeal = polenta = grits)
• Everything tastes better cooked in bacon fat.