Shrimp and Grits for #MardiGras @MaddieDayAuthor

 MADDIE DAY here, with a Mardi Gras recipe a little late!

I happen to love grits, which isn't too different from polenta or what in West Africa they call fufu. It's a creamy starchy pile that provides a perfect vehicle for a savory sauce. In my Country Store Mysteries, Robbie Jordan often serves grits with breakfast in her restaurant, sometimes topped by sausage gravy.

Shrimp and Grits

This yummy Mardi Gras recipe is adapted from Southern Living.

Ingredients

1 lb. large raw shrimp

5 cups water, plus more as needed

1 1/4 cups uncooked stone-ground white corn grits

3 tsp. kosher salt, divided

1 tablespoon oil

1 (4-oz.) pkg. diced pancetta or ham

1 yellow onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

12 ounces mushrooms, sliced

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons  butter, divided

1 cup chicken or seafood broth

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

8 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

black pepper

salt

Dash of hot sauce (optional)

Directions

Peel and devein shrimp, discarding shells. Place shrimp in a medium bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Bring water to a boil in a medium pot over high. Whisk in grits and 2 1/2 teaspoons of the salt. 

Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring often, until grits are tender, liquid is absorbed, and the mass pulls away from the sides of the pot, about 30 minutes. 

If grits thicken before they are tender, add more water, and continue cooking. Remove from heat, and cover to keep warm.

After grits have cooked for 15 minutes, heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add pancetta, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy and fat has rendered, about 4 minutes.

Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened and charred lightly, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate. 

Reduce heat to medium; add flour and 1 tablespoon of the butter to the same pan, and cook, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and flour has mixed in, about 1 minute.

Slowly add broth, stirring constantly, until fully combined. Sprinkle in Cajun seasoning. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium-high. 

Add shrimp and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are cooked through and opaque, and sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 8 minutes. 

Add the vegetables back in plus several turns of pepper and salt, if needed. Heat through.

Stir cheese and remaining 3 tablespoons butter into grits.

Divide grits evenly among 4 shallow bowls, and spoon shrimp and gravy evenly on top of each bowl. Garnish with hot sauce, if desired. Serve hot.

Readers: How do you celebrate Mardi Gras? Any favorite foods?

📖🍷🥗

Deep Fried Death, #12 in the Country Store Mysteries, is out!

Murder Uncorked, Cece Barton Mystery #1, released in late October.

Next to release is A Case for the Ladies on March 12. Do you love the cover as much as I do? Be sure to drop by here on Sunday or Monday to read all about my new historical!

After that comes Murder at the Rusty Anchor in late June. It's the sixth Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery.

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Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell) is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in Linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning and bestselling author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and also writes award-winning short crime fiction. She lives with her beau and sweet cat Martin north of Boston, where she’s currently working on her next mystery when she isn’t cooking up something delectable in the kitchen.