Shrimp Sauté with Thyme Grits

I’ll never forget my first experience with grits. I suspect Southerners taste grits right around their first birthday, but I was a full-fledged adult, enjoying brunch with friends in New York City, when the urge struck. Never one to enjoy true breakfast food after about 8 a.m., I opted for the shrimp and grits, the most savory sounding dish on the menu. The first bite was a revelation: creamy yet textured grits, rich from copious amounts of butter and cheese, punctuated with bits of chopped garlicky shrimp. But it was the poached egg with its silky yolk cascading over the grits like a sauce, that put the dish over the top. Hooked!

The word “grits” most commonly refers to ground dried corn. (It’s possible to find other types of grits, but those are generally qualified, such as “millet grits” or “buckwheat grits”.) The corn can be white or yellow and it’s ground to varying degrees, ranging from fine to coarse. Purists prefer stone-ground grits, which retain a rougher texture (“gritty”) and more of the nutrients, specifically fiber. Since stone-ground grits include the plant’s germ, they’re highly perishable. Keep them in an airtight bag, refrigerated or frozen, for about three months.

Cooking grits may sound exotic, but it’s actually quite simple. Bring liquid to a boil (generally water to maintain the flavor of the corn, but broth does add flavor), whisk in the grits and salt, and simmer gently until they’re done. Stir the grits frequently to avoid sticking. The cooking time depends on the grind of the grits; coarse grits may take twice as long as a fine grind. If the grits thicken too much while cooking, simply stir in additional water. I made the recipe below dairy-free, but grits and butter (and cheese) make perfect companions. Don’t be afraid to make the addition.

To this day, I’m still a sucker for grits with a runny egg yolk, but I certainly don’t limit my consumption to breakfast. Use grits as you would polenta (really just another grind of dried corn); I use grits as a bed for stews or sausages and broccoli rabe. If those dishes seem too wintry, try this Creole-inspired shrimp sauté over thyme-flecked grits as a lighter, warm weather option.

Recipe: Shrimp Sauté with Thyme Grits

Makes : 4 servings | Breakfast/Brunch , Main Dishes Dairy Free Print

Ingredients

6 cups water, plus more if needed

1 1/2 cups medium or coarsely ground corn grits

2 teaspoons salt (divided)

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips

1 fresh jalapeno chile, seeded and thinly sliced

1/4 cup minced green bell pepper

1 bunch green onions, whites and green tops chopped and reserved separately

1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Instructions

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. (If you have one that's nonstick, use it. You'll thank me later.) Whisk in the grits and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt. Reduce the heat and simmer the grits, partially covered, stirring occasionally to keep them from sticking. Cook until the grits are thick and just tender, about 40 minutes for medium ground grits or longer for coarse grits. (Whisk in additional water if the grits get too thick. They should remain pourable.) Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the thyme.

In a large frying pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve it in a bowl. Add the jalapeno, green bell pepper, and white portion of the green onions to the pan. Cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the bacon. Wipe out the pan. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp (if there are too many to spread in a single layer, cook in two batches), black pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are almost done, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until the shrimp are just done, about 1 minute more. Stir in the lemon juice, reserved bacon and vegetables, and the tomatoes. Remove from the heat.

For serving, scoop some grits onto each of four plates or shallow bowls. Mound the shrimp on top of the grits and sprinkle the basil and green portion of the green onions over the top.