Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup stone-ground white grits
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 ounces white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 thick slices bacon
• 1 cup chopped white or yellow onion
• 1 cup chopped green pepper
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 3 green onions, chopped (white and light green parts only)
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Juice of 1 lemon, about 1 to 2 tablespoons

• Method

  1. Cook the bacon:Fry the bacon in a large sauté pan on medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon and chop. Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of the fat. Turn off the heat.
  2. Cook the grits:Bring the water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the salt. Slowly pour the grits into the boiling water while you stir with a wooden spoon. Stir and pour gradually so you don’t get any lumps. When all the grits are incorporated, turn the heat down to a low simmer and cook the grits, stirring often, for 35 minutes.
  3. Chop the shrimp:Reserve about 1/3 of the shrimp whole and cut the rest into 3-4 pieces each. Set aside.
  4. Sauté the vegetables, bacon, and shrimp:When the grits have cooked for 30 minutes, heat the sauté pan on medium high. When the bacon fat is hot, sauté the onion and green pepper over medium-high heat until soft, about 4 minutes.Add the bacon, garlic cloves and shrimp and toss to combine. Let this cook another minute.
  5. Add the stock, then reduce:Add the chicken stock and let this boil down for 5 minutes.
  6. Add the cheese and butter to the grits:Meanwhile, stir the cheddar cheese and butter into the grits. The dish might not need any more salt, but add some if you’d like.
  7. Serve:To serve, spoon out some grits in individual bowls. Add to the shrimp the green onions, parsley and lemon juice to taste. Add salt if it needs it. Spoon some shrimp over the grits and make sure at least one whole shrimp is on everyone’s plate. Serve at once.