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.
This article appears in October 2012.
