Shrimply The Best Grits
Andouille, Shrimp & Grits
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup stone-ground grits
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
- 2 pounds 16/20-count wild-caught Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Creole seasoning, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup minced Rouses andouille sausage
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- 1 tablespoon canned minced Spanish piquillo peppers or jarred roasted red peppers
- 4 cups shrimp stock (homemade* or store-bought)
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 cups peeled, seeded, minced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
Directions
- In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Slowly whisk in grits, stirring constantly, 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally so they don’t scorch on the bottom of the pan. When grits are cooked, stir in 2 tablespoons butter and mascarpone and remove from stove. Cover pot and wrap in a towel to keep grits warm.
- Season shrimp with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and sauté until they just start to brown. Remove shrimp from pan. Add sausage, thyme, garlic, shallot and piquillo peppers to skillet. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add shrimp stock and bring liquid to a simmer. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and cook until sauce is thickened. Add shrimp back to sauce; stir in lemon juice, tomatoes and chives. Simmer for 2 minutes. Serve immediately over grits.
- *To make shrimp stock, combine shells and 4¼ cups of water. Simmer for 15 minutes. Strain.
