Shrimp Grillades and Grits

Cajun French: le grue (lu grū) – grits

 

What started out as left over crawfish and carrot tops over girts for breakfast turned into Shrimp Grillades and Grits. Traditionally grillades are slow cooked meat in rich gravy. We enjoy grillades and since we no longer eat meat wanted to try shrimp grillades. Today was the day and what a dish! Another difference to the traditional grillades is the shrimp do not cook in the gravy. The shrimp are pan fried and plated in the gravy just before serving. As usual we used shrimp from the Anna Marie.  Even though this dish is very rich, it is not high fat. The richness comes from using red wine in the gravy. We plated the dish on plates with a shrimp design. Wanting to highlight the design as well as the food we plated the dish two ways.

Mais C’est Bon!

Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

• 1 can whole tomatoes (14.5 oz)
• 2 Tbl olive oil
• 12 lg shrimp
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup red wine
• 16 cubes shrimp stock, approximately 2 cups
• 2 Tbl instant roux
• Salt and black pepper to taste, after adding roux
• 2 dashes hot sauce (your choice)
• cayenne pepper & paprika

Cut tomatoes into small pieces.

Place in skillet with juice and cook down.

Cook approximately 15-20 minutes on medium.

Once tomatoes are soft mash with pastry blender or other masher.

Measure out ¼ cup paste and store the remaining in frig.

 

Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails attached.

Set aside.

 

Heat 1 Tbl olive oil to medium in cast iron skillet.

Sauté onion, celery, jalapeno, and garlic for 3-5 minutes, not browning.

Add ¼ c. tomato paste, blend and continue sautéing until soft without browning.

Add shrimp stock and bring to simmer. (If you don’t have shrimp stock use vegetable broth)

Add wine and bring to simmer.

Add roux, cook on low simmer until thickened.

Season with salt, black pepper and hot sauce to taste.

Continue cooking to desired consistency.

Turn to low and continue cooking until ready to serve.

 

Heat 1 Tbl olive oil in skillet.

Place shrimp in skillet and season with salt and cayenne pepper.

When shrimp begin to turn pink turn over and season with paprika.

Continue cooking until shrimp are completely pink.

Turn heat off.

 

Plate:

Place grits in plate.

Surround grits with gravy.

Arrange shrimp in plate.

Serve with bread and enjoy.