Shrimp and Grits

We are thrilled to pieces to have Rebecca Gordon, of Buttermilk Lipstick and former Southern Living Test Kitchen Director share with us her favorite way to prepare this classic southern dish.

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Rebecca:

In my version of this classic dish, I tossle Alabama Gulf Beauties (aka shrimp) in a lemony butter sauce, which I serve atop Asiago-kissed stone ground grits. Here’s the 411!

How To Pull It Off:

1. start the grits
2. peel & devein the shrimp
3. mise en place remaining ingredients (which means prep)

By the time the grits are fully cooked, you’ll be ready to sauté the shrimp and prepped ingredients and will only be 5 minutes away from glory.

Shrimp and Grits
makes 4 servings

Ingredients for the Grits:

• 6 cups water
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups stone ground grits
• 3/4 cup packed finely grated Asiago cheese (Note: use a microplane grater for this. I love the one from Carter M. Design)
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Bring water and salt to a rolling boil. Whisk in the grits and cook, whisking occasionally, over low-ish heat until tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the remaining ingredients.

Ingredients for the shrimp:

• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 3 small garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 1/2 lbs (21-25 count) fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 6 small scallions, sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• the juice of a lemon
• kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Melt butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. A sizzle-y melt is good. (Note: adjust the heat up or down while you’re cooking if necessary.) Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the shrimp are no longer pink (about 4 minutes). Serve over the Asiago grits. (Adjust seasonings before serving.)

Good to know:

The process for making stone ground grits retains more corn flavor and it’s healthier, because the whole grain is utilized.
Try these brands that can be found at Whole Foods and many farm stands:

Logan Turnpike Mill
Blairsville, GA

McEwen & Sons
Wilsonville, AL

There are a ka-gillion ways one can prepare shrimp and grits, with bacon, tasso, etc., but I just prefer the fresh simplicity of this one.

Thanks, Rebecca!

PinRebecca Gordon is a Southern lifestyle expert, as well as media personality, cook, writer, hostess and football fanatic. After a 13-year career with the magazine she grew up learning to cook from with her mom, she recently stepped away from running the Southern Living Test Kitchens to launch her own brand that speaks of all her passions–food, fashion, style and beauty–and shares unique stories others have to tell. Most everything on Buttermilk Lipstick ties back to her obsession for Southern food and cooking. Her posts are accompanied by a song to further enhance the visitor’s experience. Rebecca says that the music is “sort of the most fun of all and takes me back to my childhood. I used to sit in my room for hours by myself listening to and getting lost in the sound, recording songs from the radio with a tape recorder. Glory be! How things have certainly changed!”

Find out more here: Buttermilk Lipstick

And enjoy this tune from Rebecca as you write out your shopping list: “Grits Ain’t Groceries” by Little Milton. Click this link to listen: www.youtube.com.