Two edibles I love are shrimp and grits. Normally we have them as separate dishes: shrimp for lunch or dinner, and grits for breakfast. What if we combined the too? In that vein, I’m told shrimp and grits is a popular dish down south. So I decided to give it a try. Below are two dishes for shrimp and grits. One is basic creamed grits with shrimp; the other is shrimp and grits with spinach. Try ‘em both. See which one works best. With either one, you won’t be disappointed.
CREAMED GRITS WITH SHRIMP
1 ¼ cups milk
½ cup instant white grits
½ cup light cream
4 tablespoons butter (about ½ stick)
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ cup larger beer (do not use dark beer or ale)
Juice of I lemon
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh chopped tarragon (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- Bring milk and grits to a boil in a heavy saucepan, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Stir in light cream and 2 tablespoons butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 onion, finely sliced; and sauté until golden. Add shrimp and cook for 1 minute. Add beer, lemon juice, and garlic. Simmer until shrimp is just opaque in center and sauce is slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato, tarragon, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
- You can serve by either placing grits in one large platter topped with shrimp and sauce. Or you can divide grits among 4 plates, each topped with the shrimp.
Yield: 4 servings.
SHRIMP WITH GRITS AND SPINACH
2 cups water
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup instant white grits
1 5.2-oz round of Boursin cheese
½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cups spinach, washed and rinsed
1 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 cup grape tomatoes, washed and halved
Parmesan cheese
- Bring water and butter to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Stir in grits, return to a boil, lower heat and simmer, stirring frequently until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in Boursin and cheddar cheeses, salt and pepper. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Stir in spinach and oregano, and cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Garnish with tomatoes, and top with a generous amount of Parmesan cheese.
Yield: 4 servings.