A basic version of shrimp and grits is really easy to make…just cook the grits and add shrimp, but it’s really superior to dress it up with a little Cajun and Southern style. Some recipes use water or milk as the base for the grits, but we chose to use cream and a homemade shrimp stock using the shells from our shrimp. Here’s our take on this Southern classic.
Collard Green Shrimp and Grits
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoon flour
3 Tablespoon butter, + 5 Tbsp butter
½ red or green bell pepper, diced small
2 stalk celery, diced small
½ cup Vidalia onion, diced small
½ pound Andouille Sausage, sliced (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Cajun seasoning to taste
½ cup plus 2 cups heavy cream
1 ½ pounds Shrimp, reserve shells for stock
3 cups shrimp stock, divided
1 cup Quick Grits
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch collards, sliced into 1/2 to 1″ strips
Directions:
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large pan over medium high heat. Add flour and stir the roux until it becomes a light brown, about 10 – 12 minutes. Add bell pepper, onion, and celery and sauté until vegetables are translucent, about 8 – 10minutes. Add the Andouille sausage and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning. Add the ½ cup cream slowly, stirring constantly. Then add about 1 cup of the shrimp stock. Let simmer. Fold shrimp into sauce and cook until shrimp are done.
Grits:
Bring 2 cups shrimp stock and 2 cups of cream to a boil. Slowly whisk 1 cup of grits, salt and 2 tablespoons of butter into the stock. Cook 5 – 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 3 tablespoons of butter.
Collards:
Clean collards and remove the stems. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan and add 3 cloves minced garlic and sauté garlic until it is a light brown. Add the collards and cook for about 3 – 5 minutes. Add about ½ cup of water or chicken stock. Turn the heat down to medium, cover and let simmer until greens are tender, about 10–15 minutes. . In individual serving bowls, ladle grits, add collard greens using slotted spoon and top with shrimp mixture. Serve with plenty of garlic bread.
Shrimp Stock:
1 tablespoon oil
Shrimp peels
1 bay leaf
1 carrot
2 celery stalks
1 onion
1 clove garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups water
Directions:
Heat oil, add all ingredients and cook for a few minutes. Add 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Simmer for an hour or so.
Sass! 