New Orleans Shrimp and Grits Recipe- A Traditional Creole Delicacy!

Today I am going to show you how to prepare shrimp and sausage over grits. This is one of the most satisfying shrimp dishes I had when I visited New Orleans and a creole classic dish offered by most restaurants in this city.  If you are interested in seeing more creole dishes and recommendations check my previous New Orleans food post. The recipe below is inspired by the shrimp and grits by Luke Restaurant in new Orleans.

Ingredients needed:

FOR THE GRITS

• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of white stone ground organic grits
• 2 tablespoons of butter

FOR THE SHRIMP

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 36 Jumbo Louisiana shrimp or other American shrimp unpeeled
• Basic creole spices
• Salt
• ½ cup minced andouille sausage
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 shallot minced
• 2 piquillo ( roasted Spanish peppers)
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 cups of shrimp stalk
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups of canned tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh chives
• ½ cup fresh chervil springs              

       

For the grits, bring 4 cups of water with salt to a boil in a medium size saucepan over high heat. Slowly pour the grits into the boiling water, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low. Stir the grits often to make sure they do not stick to the bottom of the pot. Simmer the grits for until the water has been absorbed and they become soft, about 20 minutes. Stir in the butter and mascarpone.  Remove from the heat and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the grits to avoid a crust from forming. 

My boyfriend likes the shrimp with the head and everything so I left them as is to his preference. 

For the shrimp, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Season the shrimp with creole spices and salt. Sauté the shrimp until they begin to brown but not cooked all the way through. Remove the shrimp as they cook and set aside.

In the same skillet, sauté the sausage, garlic, shallots, piquillo peppers and thyme until they become aromatic, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp stalk and bring to a simmer. Stir the butter and reduce the saucepan until its nice and thick. 3-5 minutes.

Return the shrimp to the original skillet and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the lemon, tomatoes and chives.

Spoon a heaping ¼ cup of the grits into the each of the 6 bowls. Spoon sauce and shrimp and garnish watch bowl with fresh chervil.

 

Feel free to substitute ingredients if you are allergic to any or prefer something else. I always add 1 teaspoon of crush red pepper to make it spicy. 

 

Bon Appétit!

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