Creole Shrimp & Garlic Cheese Grits

Mardi Gras, or “Fat Tuesday,” is the last day of the carnival season as it always falls on the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Fat Tuesday gets its name from the tradition of being the last night of indulgence of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season. 

In honour of this tradition, I decided to whip up an authentic Creole shrimp and grits recipe. If you weren't aware, the difference between Cajun and Creole dishes are the use of tomatoes. Creole recipes include tomatoes, while proper Cajun recipes do not. 

The grits in this recipe are kicked up to perfection with the addition of garlic and cheese. I used a smoked cheddar, parmesan and sharp cheddar blend. The smoked cheddar gave such a great depth of flavor and paired perfectly with the creole spices in the shrimp. You can also add bacon to this dish to make it extra indulgent. Might as well live it up on Fat Tuesday, right? Try making a traditional King Cake for dessert they are delicious! One was recently sent to my office from Cannata's in New Orleans. It was a mouthful of sugary cinnamon deliciousness and I enjoyed reading about the history and traditions behind the famous cake. Tell me about your favorite southern style foods in the comments below. Happy Mardi Gras! Let the party begin!

Creole Shrimp & Garlic Cheese Grits

For the shrimp:

1 pound of large shrimp; peeled and deveined

3 cups of seafood stock

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeño, finely chopped

2 celery ribs, finely sliced

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 teaspoons Creole seasoning

½ a lemon, juiced

1teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1 bay leaf

chopped chives for garnish

Directions:

1.     Heat butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat; stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly until flour is caramel colored, creating a golden blonde roux (about 8 to 10 minutes). Add onion, celery, green pepper, jalapeño and garlic, stirring often, about 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Stir in Creole seasoning, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the tomato paste and stir until the vegetables are evenly coated. Slowly add 2 cups of broth, stirring constantly to create a thick sauce. Add the bay leaf, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.

2.     While the broth simmers, sauté the shrimp in a medium saucepan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until just pink. Add the shrimp to the broth for the last 10 minutes of cooking, stirring in the remaining shrimp broth ½ cup at a time until the desired consistency is met.

For the grits:

2½ cups milk

2½ cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese or variety of your choice

1½ cups old fashioned grits (not instant)

While the shrimp is simmering, bring milk, water, and salt to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Gradually stir in the grits and garlic. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the cheese and butter until melted and well combined.

Serve Creole Shrimp over the garlic cheese grits. Sprinkle with chopped chives, if desired.