A Southern tradition. I’ve had several versions of this and have yet to find one I don’t like! This is my version, taking my favorite ingredients from the Shrimp and Grits I’ve had at restaurants and from recipes I found on the internet. Sometimes I surprise even myself and with this recipe, I did just that! It was so good, I can’t wait to make it again!
I used fresh local shrimp in this dish, and I’m a firm believer that you should always buy seafood from the U.S., not the farm-raised stuff from Thailand! Not only does it taste much better, but you’re helping out an industry that has been dwindling because of the bad economy and outrageous gas prices!
- 1 cup quick cooking grits
- 3 cups water
- 4 oz roasted red peppers, chopped
- 1 cup shredded colby-jack cheese
- 8 oz bacon, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 2 lbs fresh 21/25 shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 oz cooked Andouille sausage, chopped into half moons ( I used Johnsonville “New Orleans Brand”)
- 2 tbsp white wine
- 6 tbsp flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
Start the grits. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil, stir in grits, and cook on low for 5 minutes. Stir in cheese and roasted red peppers. Keep warm while preparing the gravy.
Place bacon in a stockpot and heat over medium heat until bacon is crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Add onion, green pepper, and celery to the bacon grease. Cook veggies for about 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and the sausage. Cook until shrimp are firm and pink, then remove from the pot. Set aside and keep warm. Pour in wine then stir in the flour. Slowly stir in milk, then Cajun seasoning. Cook and stir continuously until thickened, then remove from heat. 
To plate, pour 1/4 of the grits on a plate, then 1/4 of the shrimp, then cover with gravy. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Repeat with remaining ingredients for 4 servings. Enjoy!
East Of The Oven 
my mouth is watering!