Jackson Jambalaya

I do not claim to know the origins of the dish most of us call Shrimp and Grits. Some say it came from the coastal areas of Louisiana and others say the Tide Water or Low Country region of the Carolinas. Does it matter? All I know is the dish is mighty fine eating and I have a pretty good way of making it.

Other than shrimp and grits, the ingredients and quantities used by chefs who prepare this Low Country shellfish dish can vary quite a bit. I am sure that statement applies to most dishes, since most home cooks check out what we have in the pantry and have been known to adjust the recipe to accommodate not having AP flour by substituting self-rising for the AP when we bread our pork chops, or substituting Merlot for Chardonnay if granny found the key to the wine cellar again last night.

It is the same almost every time I prepare my version of this popular shellfish dish. I cook it because I like it and try my best to make a good meal with what I have. I am smart enough to not substitute Vienna Sausages for the shrimp, even though I like them, but hopefully you understand what I mean.

When I cook, I hardly ever have a printed recipe open for reference as I set up my mise en place, chop, slice and sometimes measure the ingredients I inaccurately remember as going in my dish of the day. With most dishes, the world does not come to an end if you use a little less rutabaga than the recipe calls for. Spices and seasonings can make or break a dish, but thankfully I hardly ever forget my Lawry's Garlic Salt, and years of cooking have given me a fairly accurate sense of how much salt is too much salt.

We try to keep some quantity of IQF shrimp in the freezer and thankfully not a lot of shrimp is needed to make this dish. I hardly ever complain about having too many shrimp, but in a bind, a nice serving can be plated with only 4 or 5 shrimp topping the grits. Most of the other ingredients are things we usually have on hand. Maybe not French bread, and I really like a nice piece of butter toasted crusty bread with my shrimp and grits. In a bind, frozen Pepperidge Farms French bread works just fine.

At your house, is it Shrimp Grits? Shrimp and Grits? Shrimp with Grits? Shrimps and Grits? I belong to the culinary school that doesn't care which name you use and find no fault that Emeril never mentions the cheese in the grits.

Here is how I do it. (for 4 servings) Cook it this way, with minimum variation from these ingredients and people will think you are a mighty Chef of Shrimps.

Need:

Grits sufficient for four servings. 

May use stone ground, or whatever you have.
Half of the water specified by grits box recipe – plus a little more added later
The other half of the required liquid is Heavy Cream, or half and half, or milk
2 Tablespoons butter
Salt to grits box label requirements (maybe 1/2 teaspoon)
3 - 4 ounces Gruyere Cheese

For the Shrimp part:

Maybe 20 medium shrimp, peeled (some do, but I never leave the tails on)
Slap Ya Mamma or other Cajun seasoning
Lawry’s Garlic Salt
Four slices thick bacon, cut into pieces
Optional – 1/2 Cup Pork Sausage, cut into smallish pieces
2 Tablespoons Onion, Chopped
2 Tablespoons Celery, Chopped
3 Tablespoons Green Pepper, Chopped
2 cloves Garlic, sliced
3 Tablespoons Butter
1/4 Cup Chardonnay (white) Wine
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
Dash of Red Cayenne Pepper
A few green onion tops, thin sliced for garnish

Butter Toasted French Bread and a nice glass of Chardonnay Wine to enjoy with your meal.

Directions:

Finish your “mise en place” on all ingredients. This dish cooks quickly and doesn’t do well just sitting around once you start cooking. Peel and then season the shrimp with +- 1 Teaspoon Cajun Seasoning and +- 1 teaspoon Lawry’s Garlic Salt and set aside. Chop vegetables and cut up bacon and set aside. Butter the bread and set aside.

Cook grits by heating half of the amount of water specified on box (plus a dash of salt) to boiling, then stirring in the grits. Add butter and heavy cream, plus a little more water at end of 10-minute cook to achieve the desired thickness (I like mine thick). Stir in Cheese, turn off heat and cover until needed. Add a touch of water if needed to keep the thickness as you like. It can be difficult to thicken the grits after adding the cheese, so don’t get them too thin.

Cook bacon in a large sauté pan. Remove when crisp and set aside. Sauté onion, celery, green peppers and then add the garlic when your other vegetables are nearly finished.

Turn the heat up to medium high and add the butter and then shrimp and white wine.

The shrimp will cook very quickly as the liquid reduces. As soon as he shrimp turn pink, add some of the crispy bacon pieces, and heavy cream. Reduce the liquid a little and add a dash of red cayenne pepper. Don't cook the dish too long after adding the shrimp, since they will get tough if cooked too long and are done as soon as they turn pink.

Cook (Skillet Toast) the bread.

Portion the cheese grits in a bowl or plate, cover with shrimp, sauce, some more of the bacon pieces, and serve with butter toasted French bread slices.

Thanks for looking at my photo post.

God Bless You