Cajun Peppered Shrimp And Grits Food

CHEESY CAJUN SHRIMP AND GRITS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Slowly stir in grits. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until thickened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese and butter until melted; keep warm., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Cook and stir shrimp in bacon drippings until shrimp turn pink, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in Cajun seasoning and parsley., Divide grits among 8 serving bowls; top with shrimp mixture and the bacon.

CAJUN SNAPPER AND SHRIMP OVER BACON CHEDDAR CHEESE GRITS WITH RED PEPPER COULIS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• On the stovetop, bring the chicken stock, onion, garlic and wine to a simmer in a saucepan.
• Place the peppers in a roasting pan and roast in the oven, checking every 15 minutes, and turning them with tongs until the skin is fully wrinkled and charred black. When the peppers are done, use tongs to put them in a ziptop bag which (for safety reasons) you have resting on a plate - (Remember, they're volcanically hot!). Carefully zip the bag shut, and allow them to sweat for 5 minutes. Use oven mitts to prevent getting burned while you handle the bag in the next step of sliding the peppers from the bag into a bowl filled with a couple of inches of ice water. You can then use your fingers to work quickly to slip off and discard the skins of the peppers while they are in the water. You will be left with beautifully cooked red peppers with a wonderful color. Remove stem and seeds. Chop the peppers and add them to the simmering chicken stock mixture, and continue simmering until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Create a slurry of cornstarch in a small amount of water and add to the red pepper sauce. Process coulis in a blender until a smooth consistency is achieved. Then season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• For the grits:
• Bring water for grits to a boil. Add grits and chopped shrimp, reduce heat and cook until grits are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter, scallions, tomatoes, cilantro, bacon and cheese, and keep covered in a warm place.
• For the fish:
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat both sides of red snapper with salt and pepper and Cajun spice. Then on the stovetop, heat some grapeseed oil in a large nonstick saute pan, and when it begins to shimmer, saute the shrimp only until they turn pink, and then remove shrimp to a utility platter. In the same pan, sear each side of the fish. (When you place the fillet into the pan, leave it undisturbed for a couple of minutes to allow the seasoning to cook into the surface of the fish.) Cook until golden brown, then finish in the oven for a further 2 to 3 minutes and remove it to rest for 5 to 8 minutes. (Please take care to avoid overcooking the fish, as it will continue to cook even after you remove it from the oven.)
• Place some of the grits in the middle of serving plate, then position a fish fillet on top, and drizzle the coulis around the fish. Top with a shrimp. Garnish liberally with scallions.

CAJUN GRILLED SHRIMP AND GRITS

Steps:

• Grits: Boil 2 cups of water in medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining ingredients in consecutive order while stirring slowly. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Slowly stir in the grits. Allow to simmer, stirring every 5 minutes until reaching the desired consistency, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the grits to a serving bowl and keep warm.
• Shrimp: Mix all of the dry ingredients thoroughly in bowl until well blended. Melt the butter or olive oil in a large grill pan over high heat. Generously coat the shrimp in the seasoning mixture. Add them to the grill pan and cook until caramelized on both sides. Remove them from the pan to a serving bowl and serve with the grits.
• Suggestion: Adding cheese and/or gravy with fried onions, to taste, will elevate the dish considerably.

SUNNY'S CAJUN BAKED SHRIMP AND GRITS

Steps:

• For the compound butter and shrimp. In a medium bowl, add the butter, seafood seasoning, scallions, garlic and lemon zest and mash together until combined. Scrape the mixture into plastic wrap and make into a log, or cover it in the bowl. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Divide the shrimp into 2 foil packets, top each with 2 thick slices of the compound butter, fold up and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
• For the grits. In a large pot on medium-high heat, add the heavy cream, a pinch of salt, a few grinds of black pepper and 2 cups water. Bring to a gentle boil, then add the grits and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese.
• Serve the grits in a bowl topped with a tablespoon or so of the compound butter and the shrimp. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.