Shrimp & Grits

One of my goals in life is to find the absolute perfect shrimp and grits recipe. Everyone makes it a little differently, so it's hard for me to even say if I've ever had perfect shrimp and grits at a restaurant. I think the perfect recipe, for me, has super creamy cheese grits, some sort of creamy, non-tomato-based sauce (though it can have tomatoes in it), and obnoxiously large shrimp. The non-tomato-based sauce is what disqualifies a lot of recipes and restaurant dishes from contention because that's apparently pretty common, but it still just isn't what I prefer. I would have to say that probably the closest I've had to perfection is the shrimp and grits at the Maker's Mark Bourbon House and Lounge in Louisville, KY. (We went for Justin's birthday last year, and everything is made with bourbon and was, of course, amazing.)

This recipe, however, is nothing like that one. Sorry. Like I said, I'm on a quest to find the perfect recipe--I didn't say I'd found it already. This recipe has two good things going for it though. 1) It's ridiculously simple. 2) It contains life's greatest gift, bacon, which I think means I need to add another requirement to my perfect recipe quest. Must. Have. Bacon. I'm not talking about just any bacon here either. Justin and I found the most ridiculously awesome bacon ever. It's called steak bacon. The slices were as thick as my pinky finger. It was almost $6 for a 20 oz package containing just 6 slices, but it was so worth it. You can make it with regular bacon if you prefer, but it just won't be the same. Steak bacon will change your life if you let it.

All in all, this is a tasty recipe, though I wish it had more of a sauce. The little bit of sauce that this recipe does have is strongly lemon-flavored, so if that's not your thing, just mix it all together like I did. I prefer to leave mine layered with the shrimp on top and the grits on the bottom instead of mixing it all up. That's really my only complaint about this recipe, and it's a pretty minor one at that.


Ingredients

2 1/2 c water
1 c quick grits
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c milk
2 tbsp butter
3/4 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
6 oz bacon, diced
1 lemon, juiced
1/3 c chopped green onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb peeled shrimp


Directions

Bring water to boil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add grits and salt, stir well, and cover. Cook 3-4 minutes, until thickened. Stir in milk, butter, and cheese. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, cook diced bacon in a skillet until crispy. Add lemon juice, green onions, and garlic, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add shrimp, and cook through, about 4 minutes. Spoon shrimp mixture over grits, and serve.


Servings: 2