My shrimp and grits isn’t so much a recipe as it is a way of cooking something delicious.
Start the grits. I like to use stone-ground or old-fashioned grits. I use 1 cup of liquid for every 1/4 cup of dry grits. I also substitute half of the water with whole milk and add 1/2 stick of unsalted butter and a little salt or salted butter and no extra salt. I heat the water/milk mixture over low heat and keep a close eye so it doesn’t boil over. I add the butter and stir just a tiny bit. When the butter is melted, I add the grits. I stir gently as they cook over the lowest heat possible. They will stick and scorch in a second, so I really stay close by and pay close attention. I stir them regularly but not constantly. In my house, this makes 2 servings of grits. I do not add cheese. Ugh.
I finely chop enough celery and onion to cover the cupped palm of my hand. I want equal amounts of celery and onion. I prefer sweet yellow onions for this, like Vidalia or Walla Walla. I finely dice about half as much red sweet pepper (bell pepper) and garlic. I cook the vegetables in a little olive oil, just enough oil to cover the bottom of the skillet but not enough to pour out. Then I add a pat of butter, about a tablespoon. I cook them over medium-low heat until they are soft and more like translucent and you can smell that fab fragrance of cooking onion, garlic, and celery.
Some people also use bacon, but I don’t eat bacon so I avoid that step. I do use the thinly chopped green parts of 2 green onions. Set them aside to use when you are ready to serve your dish.
I use about 5 jumbo shrimp per serving, so that means 10 shrimp for 2 people. If the shrimp are smaller, add more. Usually, a handful of smaller shrimp per person is about right. Peel the shrimp, take off their heads if necessary, and devein them.
Add the shrimp to the pan with the vegetables. Add another pat of butter or two. Raise the heat to medium. Sprinkle the shrimp with Old Bay or Cajun seasoning, just a little bit. Cook, stirring once in a while until the shrimp turn pink. This should take just a few minutes, maybe 5-10 depending on how much shrimp you have and how high your heat is. By now your grits should be ready.
Plate your grits and make a little well in the center. Put the shrimp mixture in the well and on top of the grits. Add a little bit of butter sauce. Sprinkle with the green onions. Serve.
If you have more people, you can double, triple, or increase this even more. Just know that the more people you have, the longer the grits will take. You can’t hurry grits.