I was inspired by my cravings for this recipe. I even had a dream about making this dish before I even knew what it would be. I wanted the recipe to reflect classic shrimp and grits but make it my own at the same time. I decided marinating the shrimp with my own blend of seasoning would do the trick; it did that and more.
I had no idea that this dish would come out so good on the first try and now I can't wait to share it with others. Try it out and please let me know what you think or what you did differently in the comments below. I hope you enjoy the recipe as much as I did creating it.
Makes 3 large portions or 4 standard portions
Shrimp Marinade Ingredients:
1 lb. Peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp
4 Garlic cloves
1/2 Medium yellow onion, sliced
1 Whole serrano chili, sliced thin
2 Whole scallions, chopped thin (more for garnish)
2 tbsp. Parsley
1 tsp. Fresh thyme
2 tbsp. Cajun spice, I used Chef Paul Prudhomme's Magic Seasoning
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to personal taste
1/3 Cup Madagascar black pepper infused oil (chili oil if you like spicy or your favorite infused oil)
-Mix together all the ingredients in bowl and toss with jumbo shrimp till everything is evenly coated. Cover the bowl and let marinate for at least 3 hours in refrigerator before cooking.
Note:
The shrimp will cook fast so I suggest that you make the Grits before cooking the shrimp in these next steps. See below for Grits recipe.
-Once shrimp is fully marinated, heat large sauté pan with 1 tbsp. oil to a medium high heat. Spread out shrimp in an even layer to not over crowd the pan and pour any leftover onion/chili oil mixture in the bowl over the shrimp in the pan. (I used a griddle on the BBQ for more space on the pan)
-Sauté shrimp about 5-7 minutes till cooked through. Be careful not to over cook or shrimp will become tough. Remove shrimp from pan and make sure to pour over the flavorful oil and onion mixture over the shrimp.
Creamy Grits Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Yellow corn grits
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Chicken stock
2 tbsp. Butter
2 Cloves garlic crushed and minced
1/4 Cup Heavy cream
1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan
Fresh cracked pepper and Kosher salt
-Melt butter in sauce pot with garlic till garlic becomes fragrant and soft.
-Add in the water, chicken stock and big pinch of salt, bring liquid to boil.
-Slowly add grits while whisking to keep grits from clumping together. Cook for 5 minutes on medium high then turn down heat to low. Whisk occasionally for next 15min while the grits thicken.
-Incorporate the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Continue cooking till you reach the texture you want. I like mine to be like porridge so just a bit soupy yet still thick. Season to taste with cracked pepper and salt.
Note:
The grits can be made a head of time even the day before. To reheat the grits just place back on stove and add a bit more water as needed to reach the consistency you like.
As you can see in my picture Halloween is coming from the décor on my bar. Please enjoy this recipe and I hope to hear back in the comments what you thought. Have fun cooking!!