OT- How do you Shrimp and Grits??

Shrimp and grits is one of our favorite meals. Not much fresh shrimp here, so it is usually the frozen ones.
Ours is sort of a cheat meal, as it is so easy, not very authentic, but still tastes delicious.
We start out sauteing diced onions and pepper and minced garlic in a little olive oil, add a can of partially drained diced tomatoes and peppers, reduce it down a little then add the shrimp that has been thawed under running water at the very end so it does not over cook.
Mostly use freshly ground grits from a local grist mill, usually white grits or speckled grits, but sometimes use instant grits if we are out of ground grits. Always add some grated cheese to stir into the grits, then top the grits with the shrimp and sauce concoction, where I then add hot sauce to mine as my wife does not like it with hot sauce and it is easier for me to add it afterward.
Anyway, easy, fun and tasty cook that we really enjoy. I rarely order shrimp and grits when going out because it is usually expensive and not nearly as tasty as our own simple creation.
Not a very good photo, but you get the idea.

@epcotisbest, that dish looks similar to the Cajun recipe for sauce picante (http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2010/08/shrimp-sauce-piquant.html#axzz4uSVhfBn7), depending on how spicy you make it.

As a side note, the recipe, above, reminds me how great having seafood stock around can be.  It makes all the difference when you want to punch up the seafood flavor in stuff like this, paella, gumbo, etc.

@pigfisher makes some great seafood stock, and I need to reload.

A Charleston favorite of mine....There are many approaches by the way....this one is relativley quick and easy.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/hominy-grills-shrimp-grits

The original contains Tasso ham.....and a bit more complex. Here is a recipe from another Charleston establishment  that is one of my favorites.......with a prelud....

From seafood shacks to old neighborhood pubs, the South Carolina and Georgia coasts are a foodie mecca. If you’re in the heart of downtown Charleston and you hear an “amen” as you pass by the corner of East Bay and Cumberland, it’s likely to be a happy diner praising the blessings of the sea at Amen Street Fish & Raw Bar at 205 E. Bay Street.

Local lore says Amen Street was so named because “amens” could be heard coming from neighboring churches. You’ll say amen and hallelujah once you step inside and taste Chef Ramon’s celebrated Shrimp and Grits.

1/2 cup tasso ham (ground in a food processor)
2 Tbsp green onions, sliced thin
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 batch roasted tomato puree (recipe below)
12 large shrimp
Stone ground grits (recipe below)

Roasted Tomato Puree:

3 vine ripened tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
2 Tbsp shallots, sliced thin
4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp molasses

For the tomato puree, place tomatoes on a baking rack and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 500-degree oven for 20 minutes. Let rest to room temperature and remove skin and seeds. Roughly chop. In a saucepan, place the garlic and shallots with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, vinegar and molasses and turn heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid has evaporated and set aside.

Grits:

4 cups water
1/2 cup cream
3 Tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup stone ground grits

Bring water and butter to a boil, slowly whisking in grits. Turn heat to low and cook 20 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Whisk in cream and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

To prepare, place a large saute skillet on a burner over medium-high heat. Once the pan is warm, addd 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then add shrimp. Saute 1 minute on each side. Add tasso and tomato puree, and pour over grits to serve. Serves two.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Ramon Taimanglo of Amen Street Fish & Raw Bar in Charleston and taken from the forthcoming book “Magnolias, Porches & Sweet Tea: Recipes, Stories & Art From The Lowcountry” by Pat Branning.

My wife hates grits, and it just isn't a lot of fun going to some trouble to cook something wonderful when the other person really doesn't like it, so I don't cook grits, much.  The last time I tried an even better recipe than I'd used before, which not only had heavy cream in it (which I've done before) but the rest of the liquid was half water and half whole milk, so it was a LOT more milky/creamy than usual, had a wonderful sweet flavor and dreamy soft texture... but she had a taste (with red eye gravy on it) and really hated it.

So I haven't made shrimp and grits, I'm sorry to say.  But the best I've had was one in a Hilton Head restaurant with bacon and andouille in it, and that stuff was wonderful!

I love shrimp with shells on, but I'm not sure I would in this dish.  I don't know why, it's messy whether the sauce is thick or not, but somehow this isn't a dish I really want to eat with my fingers.  I admit I've never tried it, though.

I'll do a cream-based style or tomato-, depending on the mood.

Be careful with when you add butter for a cream style. Too early will break the sauce.

I have eggjoyed them many timesboth from BGE and others but have never made any, if however I were to try a batch this is the recipe I would start with.
Shrimp, Grits, Eggin' Shrimp & Grits, Girly Egg

This recipe is a combination of several Shrimp & Grits recipes that are published on the web.  However, the main inspiration is the Flyin' Shrimp & Grits, served at the Candler Park, Flying Biscuit Cafe in Atlanta, GA.

INGREDIENTS:
5 cups water
2 cups half-and-half or light cream
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups Quick Grits
8 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 can Fire Roasted Tomatoes, diced
1 Tbsp garlic clove, minced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
5 basil leaves, thinly sliced
4 Tbsp butter
6 green onion, sliced
2 tsp hot sauce
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, or to taste
1 can chopped green chilis
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 lbs Shrimp, raw with tails on, deveined

PROCEDURE:

BGE Set-up:

1. Heat BGE to 400 degrees, indirect with platesetter

Prepare Grits:

1. Add water, 2 tbsp butter and half & half to 9 qt dutch oven place on BGE, stirring occasionally, to just below boil

2. Add Quick Grits to liquid and stir thoroughly to eliminate lumps. If cooking on a Large BGE, move dutch over over to the side to allow room for shrimp skillet. If cooking on a smaller size BGE, remove from heat once the grits begin to thicken.

3. Stir grits occasionally to ensure even distribution of grits in liquid.

Prepare Shrimp:

1. Add 4 tbsp butter and minced garlic to cast iron skillet. Allow to saute for a few minutes to brown butter and garlic.

2. Add red bell pepper, green onions, hot sauce, crushed red pepper, and worcestershire sauce. Simmer until the red bell peppers begin to cook through.

3. Add fire roasted tomatoes (DO NOT DRAIN), basil, and chopped green chiles

4. Simmer mixture for 10 minutes.

5. Add shrimp to tomato mixture. Continue to simmer until shrimp is cooked through.

When shrimp is cooked:

1. Add Gruyere to grits, stirring occasionally to ensure that cheese melts evenly into grits.

2. Spoon grits into bowls and serve shrimp mixture over grits.

Servings: 8

Recipe Type: Appetizer, Seafood

Source
Author: Lynn Joseph, "Girly Egg"
Source: Eggtoberfest '09, Girly Egg, 2009/10/18

Richard Fl said:

I have eggjoyed them many timesboth from BGE and others but have never made any, if however I were to try a batch this is the recipe I would start with.
Shrimp, Grits, Eggin' Shrimp & Grits, Girly Egg

This recipe is a combination of several Shrimp & Grits recipes that are published on the web.  However, the main inspiration is the Flyin' Shrimp & Grits, served at the Candler Park, Flying Biscuit Cafe in Atlanta, GA.

INGREDIENTS:
5 cups water
2 cups half-and-half or light cream
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups Quick Grits
8 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 can Fire Roasted Tomatoes, diced
1 Tbsp garlic clove, minced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
5 basil leaves, thinly sliced
4 Tbsp butter
6 green onion, sliced
2 tsp hot sauce
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, or to taste
1 can chopped green chilis
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 lbs Shrimp, raw with tails on, deveined

PROCEDURE:

BGE Set-up:

1. Heat BGE to 400 degrees, indirect with platesetter

Prepare Grits:

1. Add water, 2 tbsp butter and half & half to 9 qt dutch oven place on BGE, stirring occasionally, to just below boil

2. Add Quick Grits to liquid and stir thoroughly to eliminate lumps. If cooking on a Large BGE, move dutch over over to the side to allow room for shrimp skillet. If cooking on a smaller size BGE, remove from heat once the grits begin to thicken.

3. Stir grits occasionally to ensure even distribution of grits in liquid.

Prepare Shrimp:

1. Add 4 tbsp butter and minced garlic to cast iron skillet. Allow to saute for a few minutes to brown butter and garlic.

2. Add red bell pepper, green onions, hot sauce, crushed red pepper, and worcestershire sauce. Simmer until the red bell peppers begin to cook through.

3. Add fire roasted tomatoes (DO NOT DRAIN), basil, and chopped green chiles

4. Simmer mixture for 10 minutes.

5. Add shrimp to tomato mixture. Continue to simmer until shrimp is cooked through.

When shrimp is cooked:

1. Add Gruyere to grits, stirring occasionally to ensure that cheese melts evenly into grits.

2. Spoon grits into bowls and serve shrimp mixture over grits.

Servings: 8

Recipe Type: Appetizer, Seafood

Source
Author: Lynn Joseph, "Girly Egg"
Source: Eggtoberfest '09, Girly Egg, 2009/10/18

Quick grits? As a southerner, that cuts deep. 

TideEggHead no shrimp head sucking you just get the extra flavor, now could you say I can tell the difference if it was head on or off, probably not. Looked good for the plate. The charred lemons gave a little sweetness to the lemon flavor that I liked.

TEH I know where you’re coming from for sure.