Ingredients

The following ingredients have 8 Servings
  • 2 cups white or yellow coarse grits or cornmeal
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 pound large shrimp (, peeled and deveined with tail on)
  • 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
  • 12 ounces cooked Andouille sausage (, (4 links))
  • 5 slices thick cut bacon (, cut into 1/4-inch strips)
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup diced yellow onion
  • 3 stalks celery (, diced to 1/4 inch)
  • 2 large cloves garlic (, pressed or minced)
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 8 ounces clam juice
  • 3-4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes
  • 1 small bunch green onions (, thinly sliced)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (, or to taste)
  • 1 lemon (, juiced)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Fresh chopped parsley

Instruction

  • In a medium saucepan, combine the grits with the water and milk over medium-low heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and creamy, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the salt and the cream and keep warm until ready to serve.
  • Place the shrimp in a large bowl and season with the cajun seasoning, tossing to cover evenly. Set aside.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Slice the andouille sausage in half lengthwise and then into 1/2 inch thick half moons and add to the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is browned. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  • In the same skillet, cook the cut bacon until cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pan and add to the bowl with the sausage. Pour all but 1 tablespoon of the fat into a small bowl and set aside.
  • Sprinkle the shrimp with 1/4 cup of the flour and toss to coat. Tap the excess flour from the shrimp and place in the skillet taking care not to crowd the pan, cooking for 2-3 minutes on each side. Cook the shrimp in batches if needed. Transfer the shrimp to another bowl and set aside.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat to the skillet and set the heat to medium high. Add the onion, celery, garlic and bay leaf and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the flour over the vegetables. Crush the dried thyme between your fingers and add to the veggies, and stir to evenly coat the veggies. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the sausage and bacon back to the skillet, then add the clam juice, chicken broth, and the tomatoes, stirring into the vegetables and decreasing the heat to medium-low.
  • Simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce is thick enough to cover the back of a spoon and the tomatoes are just about to burst.*
  • Return the shrimp to the pan. Add half of the chopped green onions, Tabasco, Worcestershire, and lemon juice. Discard the bay leaf and swirl in the butter.
  • Spoon a serving of the warm grits into a bowl and ladle with a few shrimp and some sauce. Garnish with chopped green onion and parsley.