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)

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.