Delicious Pappadeaux Shrimp and Grits Recipe
Pappadeaux Shrimp and Grits is a popular Southern Louisiana dish that can be made at home.It's a simple and versatile recipe that combines Cajun shrimp with creamy grits. The recipe involves cooking bacon, sautéing shrimp with spices, and preparing a flavorful sauce. The grits are cooked in a mixture of water, milk, and cheese until thickened. The Cajun shrimp and sauce are then served over the grits. It's a delicious and comforting main dish that you can enjoy with various side dishes like cornbread or rice.
Ingredients
For Cajun Shrimp
- 5 thick slices of bacon chopped
- ½ Pounds of extra-large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tbsp Cajun salt
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup broth (stock workstoo)
- ½ lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
For Grits
- 2 cup water
- 3 cup milk (or substitute with water)
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt to taste
- 3-4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup quick grits
- 1-2 cup white sharp cheddar cheese (preferably smoked)
Instructions
Preparing the Grits
- Combine water, milk, bay leaf, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
- Gradually whisk in quick grits, stirring to prevent lumps.
- Reduce heat, cover, and simmer grits until thickened, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat, add butter and white sharp cheddar cheese. Stir until melted
- Serve hot in a shallow bowl, layered with Cajun shrimp and sauce.
Cooking the Shrimp
- Cook bacon until crisp. Set aside, leaving some drippings in the skillet
- Add butter/oil and sauté peeled shrimp until pink and opaque.
- Season shrimp with Cajun salt, add garlic, paprika, bell peppers, parsley, and green onions.
- Optionally, add broth and cook for a few minutes.
- Season with salt, pepper, and squeeze of lemon juice. Add back the bacona
Combining the Shrimp and Grits
- Cook bacon, set aside. Sauté shrimp with seasonings.
- Make grits by boiling water, milk, bay leaf, and salt. Add and simmer grits
- Plate grits in a bowl, add Cajun shrimp and sauce.
- Garnish with parsley or green onions.
- Serve the Shrimp and Grits dish immediately while hot, ensuring the grits and shrimp are cooked and seasoned to perfection.