Shrimp and Grits with Fresh Corn and Gouda
Taking a break from the traditional New England fare, last weekend we detoured into the south and the Beard and I tried our hand at fixing up some shrimp and grits. He’d never had them before, while I’ve only ever had grits once, and that was about 20 years ago at a greasy-spoon diner somewhere in the mountains of upstate New York. They were good, but weren’t any fancier than the bowl of plain oatmeal that I eat for breakfast every morning. I tried to explain what they were like to the Beard describing grits as slightly heartier than a bowl of Cream of Wheat… which he’d also never had.
We found ourselves a recipe for shrimp and grits that looked interesting; it featured fresh corn, and offered us the chance to use up some shrimp we had leftover from a meal earlier in the week. As a bonus, we grated up the block of gouda that the Beard accidentally bought a couple of weeks ago (who accidentally buys cheese? The Beard does, that’s who) and added that to the grits right at the end, turning the pot of everything into just the richest thing we’d put in our mouths this week.
Oh My Heavens
I’m not kidding, this meal of shrimp and grits was amazing. Heavenly, perhaps. It was a perfect blend of textures and tastes. We have the creamy grits, which the grated corn and its juice lent their sweetness to. There’s the spicy shrimp as the perfect complement to the slight sweetness of the fresh corn. The addition of the salty, smokey gouda made everything just perfect. Finally, topping the grits with the shrimp and corn just created the perfect combination of flavors, making an entire bowl of deliciousness.
The two of us were so absorbed in transporting the shrimp and grits from the bowl to our mouths that we had the quietest meal we’ve had in a long time. It was an amazing dinner, cooking up incredibly quickly, which makes it perfect for late dinners, and it made enough that we’ve got at least one more dinner for the two of us in a day or so (probably the same day this posts, actually!)
Shrimp and Grits with Fresh Corn and Gouda
Creamy grits with a smokey cheese, spicy shrimp, and the snap of fresh corn make up this amazing dinner that's fast and easy to cook but tastes like you spent hours on it.
Ingredients
- 3 ears of corn husked
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 1 ½ cup water
- ¾ cup grits none f that instant, quick-cooking stuff, either
- 4 tbsps butter divided
- 8 oz smoked gouda grated
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp oregano
- 1⁄4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
- ¾ lb raw shrimp deveined, tails removed
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
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Using a box grater, grate two ears of the corn over a bowl or deep dish, saving as much of the corn's juice as possible. Cut the kernels from the third ear of corn and set aside in a separate container.
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Add the milk, broth, and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add your grits, pouring in a steady stream and whisking constantly, and reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20-25 minutes, whisking occasionally, until grits are soft and creamy.
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When grits have been simmering for about 10 minutes, start your corn and shrimp. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a skillet, then add garlic, oregano, paprika, and cayenne pepper, cooking until the garlic has browned. Add the whole corn kernels to the skillet and stir to combine with the spices and butter, then cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring at least once to prevent things from burning to your pan. Add your shrimp and the red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook for another 4-5 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp, or until they have cooked through, flipping halfway.
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Add the butter, grated corn, and corn juice to the grits and whisk to combine until butter has melted. Stir in the gouda until it has melted completely. Add salt and pepper to taste
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Ladle grits into bowls, and top with shrimp and corn.
Recipe Notes
Based off a 2014 recipe from Bon Appetit
The Tart likes to eat, cook, and bake things. She eats to work out, and she works out to be able to eat.
