Shrimp and Grits with Sautéed Kale
Savory shrimp with crispy bacon over creamy cheesy grits and with a side of kale sautéed with onions and tomatoes. That is what today’s recipe is made off. My Shrimp and Grits with Sautéed Kale recipe is so delicious you will want seconds. And it is perfect for Mother’s Day. So if you want to impress your mother or anyone really, including yourself, go get the ingredients below and make this recipe!
Each part of this dish is good enough to eat on their own. It was really hard for me to stop tasting the grits “for salt”. I could really just sit with a spoon and make the grits disappear. And the shrimp are so juicy and flavorful especially with the addition of the bacon. But you cannot leave out the kale! it balances out this meal in the most delicious way. The tomatoes give it some acidity that go really well with the shrimp. Bacony shrimp and tender kale over creamy cheesy grits is such a great trio. I can’t make shrimp and grits without sautéed kale and I don’t think you will be able to either after trying it.
Take these into consideration before you begin:
- The Broth: You may use any type of broth or stock (I used a chicken broth). But if you want to elevate the flavor of your grits, don’t toss the peelings of your shrimp away. Add your cleaned shrimp peelings to a saucepan with your broth and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain out the peelings and you will have an amazing shrimpy stock to use for this recipe.
- The Grits: If using traditional coarse grits, your grits should take about an 1 hour to cook. It may seem long but while it cooks you can make the other parts of this dish. If you use quick grits, it will take about a 1/4 of the time. Either option is fine, just make sure you stir it frequently so it doesn’t burn.
- The Shrimp: I suggest using large shrimp but this is partially for aesthetic reasons. Though big shrimps are meatier, small shrimp work fine too. They may just cook a little faster. In this recipe you will dry brine the shrimp. But while cooking them, still taste for salt and add more if desired.
Shrimp and Grits with Sautéed Kale
Ingredients
Grits
- 4 cups stock or broth chicken or any flavor of choice
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grits
- 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Shrimp
- 4 to 6 slices of bacon chopped
- 1 lb shrimp preferably large, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 tsp salt plus extra to taste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp parsley chopped
- 1/2 a lemon's juice
Sautéed Kale
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 an onion or one small one, chopped
- 2 to 3 roma tomatoes chopped
- 1 lb fresh kale roughly chopped/torn
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash your shrimp in a bowl and drain out the water. Season it with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix and set aside in the fridge to brine.
The Grits
- Place a saucepan over medium high heat then pour in your broth and heavy cream.
- Stir in your grits then bring the mixture to a simmer mixing frequently.
- Lower your heat and let it cook until the grits are soft and creamy. Continue mixing and scraping the pan frequently. Depending on if you are using quick grits or regular grits this could take 15 minutes to an hour.
- Once grits are thick, soft and creamy, mix in salt and pepper to taste followed by your cheeses. Mix until fully combined then turn off the heat.
The Sautéed Kale
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium low heath then stir in onions. Cook until they are translucent then stir in tomatoes and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add kale, stir then place a lid over the pan for it to wilt.
- After the kale has wilted (about 2 minutes), take off the lid then season kale with salt and pepper to taste and stir it. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The Shrimp
- Heat up a large frying pan over medium high heat then add in chopped bacon. Spread them around so they cook evenly.
- Once bacon is a golden brown color and crispy, take it out of the pan leaving the grease behind.
- Add garlic and mix until fragrant then add shrimp to the pan followed by paprika, cayenne and black pepper. Stir then spread shrimp out so they cook evenly flipping them over after they have browned (about 2 minutes per side).
- Top shrimp with parsley and lemon juice then give it a stir. Turn the heat off then stir in your bacon.
- Serve the shrimp over hot grits and with sautéed kale on the side.
