Recipe: Bistro 1130's Shrimp and Grits

Shrimp and grits are everywhere it seems, but none is quite like the version on Bistro 1130’s brand new Sunday brunch menu. Blackened jumbo shrimp, cooked to tender perfection, flank a steaming bowl of cheesy grits laden with bold chorizo. Warm and comforting, it’s a dish that’ll make you want to curl up in bed for a seriously lazy rest of your day.

Blackened Shrimp and White Cheddar Grits
Courtesy of Bistro 1130’s Kevin Taylor, Jr.
4 Servings

3 cups milk
1 Tbsp. salt
1 cup uncooked grits
2 lb. 10/12 count tiger shrimp
2 oz. blackening seasoning blend
1 oz. olive oil
1 oz. canola oil
1 oz. butter
1 lemon
4 oz. ground chorizo
8 oz. grated white cheddar
Fresh basil for garnish
Vine-ripened tomatoes for garnish

• Bring the milk to a boil in a medium-sized pot. Once boiling, add the salt and grits and simmer for 40 minutes.

• Meanwhile, evenly coat the shrimp with the blackening seasoning.

• Add the olive and canola oils and butter to a cast iron skillet set over high heat. When the butter begins to brown, add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Remove from heat. 

• Squeeze the lemon over the shrimp and let them rest. 

• Add the chorizo to the cast iron skillet and saute until cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.

• Right before serving, stir the cheddar into the grits until fully incorporated.

• Divide the grits among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with 4 shrimp. 

• Garnish with fresh basil, tomatoes and crumbled chorizo.