I lived in North Carolina and Texas for many years, but never tried shrimp and grits until we moved to the Northwest. Most recipes I’ve seen involve obscene amounts of bacon fat, butter, and cream. I may work with cardiologists and heart surgeons, but I don’t want to become one of their patients. So I produced a quick gemisch with what I had hanging around the fridge:
I made grits for two people, using chicken broth as the liquid. I altered the ratio of liquid to grits to keep them a bit on the thin side. Adding salt wasn’t necessary, thanks to the broth. While the grits were cooking, I frizzled up some Canadian-style bacon in a nonstick pan. I removed the bacon, added a little olive oil, and briefly sautéed a shallot. I then threw some peeled, deveined shrimp into the pan. I cooked them until they were cooked, adding a little Cajun seasoning along the way. Just before serving, I grated some Parmesan cheese and stirred it into the grits. The shrimp and grits were served with steamed kale. This was a relatively quick dinner, since I used quick grits.
This dish can be gemisched in a number of ways. The shrimp mixture can be augmented with bell pepper, celery, or tomatoes. Cheddar cheese can be substituted for Parmesan. Ham can be substituted for bacon. Even vegetarians can use vegetable broth in the grits and red beans or black-eyed peas in place of the meat. Of course, then it’s beans and grits.
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