Shrimp and Grits are a staple in the Southern USA. The combination of spicy shrimp, gooey, cheesy grits, and the tangy zip from spicy hot, vinegary mustard greens are one of my favorite food combinations. These three recipes Shrimp, Grits, and Mustard Greens are great together or separately, you really can’t go wrong with any one of them.
You want to be organized when making Shrimp, Grits, and Mustard Greens
Cheese Grits need to be whisked frequently, and if you have a dozen different things going on, it’s easy to get overwhelmed if you try to do them all at once. Always start by making the Southern Mustard Greens recipe first, they aren’t hurt by stewing a few extra minutes. Then cook the Cheese Grits recipe, and lastly, the Spicy Shrimp recipe takes no time at all.
Southern Mustard Greens
Southern cooking doesn’t get much better than a pot of simmering greens with a smoky ham hock, turkey leg or bacon in the mix. Hit them with a little spicy vinegar or hot sauce at the end and they are pure Heaven. Today, I’m making my Southern Mustard Greens recipe to go with my Shrimp and Grits, and since I want to garnish the shrimp with bacon, I’m using bacon in the mustard greens as well. But like I stated earlier, pretty much any good smoky meat will make them a joy to eat.
Fresh mustard greens have a strong peppery flavor that tone down a little once cooked, but mine still has a nice bite to them from the garlic, onions, coarse ground mustard, and vinegar. And although they do have bacon in them, the mustard greens themselves are super healthy, loaded with tons of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. You’re going to love my Southern Mustard Greens.
Here’s My Southern Mustard Greens recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
- ½ Pound Smoked Bacon, 1-inch dice
- 2 Tablespoons Bacon Fat
- 2 Bunches Mustard Greens stems diced, leaves roughly chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Coarse Ground Mustard
- ½ Cup Onion
- 3 Cloves Garlic, crushed and chopped
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 Cup Chicken Stock
- 1 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
- I serve mine with Trappy’s Hot Peppers in Vinegar
PROCESS:
-In a large covered skillet over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until brown and just crispy
-Remove stems for the greens and chop to ¼ inch dice, rough chop the leaves
-Remove the bacon, reserve 2 tablespoons of fat
-Add the onions and mustard green stems, sauté until onions are soft, about 4-5 minutes, then add garlic, sauté for 1 minute
-Combine the remaining ingredients, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and let steam for 5 minutes
-Uncover and continue cooking until greens are tender about 20-25 minutes, add additional chicken stock if they start getting dry
Cheese Grits
Originating with the Native American Muskogee Tribe, Grits are coarse ground bits of corn that have been cooked in liquid and eaten as a porridge. They can be sweet or savory and are great breakfast lunch or dinner. There are a lot of different grits available in the grocery store or online. Bob’s Red Mill is my favorite brand, and they have several different types of coarsely ground corn, both white and yellow corn that will work as grits, but my own personal preference is the ‘Coarse Grind Cornmeal’. It has a coarser texture and a little more bite to it, plus I always have it on hand, I use it on my pizza paddle when making pizzas at home.
Grits take about 20-25 minutes to cook and will expand as they absorb all of the liquid. It’s very important when cooking grits to whisk them often so they don’t stick to the bottom or form clumps.
Here’s my Cheese Grits recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 Cups Milk
- 2 Cups Chicken Stock
- 1 Cup Coarse Ground Cornmeal
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ Cup Butter
- 1 ½ Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 2-3 Tablespoons Heavy Cream (optional)
PROCESS:
-In a heavy-bottomed saucepan with a lid over medium-high heat, bring the milk and chicken stock to a boil
-Whisking constantly, slowly add the cornmeal to the boiling liquid, reduce heat to low, add the salt and pepper and cover
-Whisk frequently to prevent sticking or lumps from forming, cook for approximately 20-25 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the texture is smooth
-Remove from the heat, add the butter and cheese, use a spoon and stir until cheese is completely mixed
-Serve hot
Here is my Spicy Shrimp recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 Pound Large Shrimp, tail on, deveined
- 3 Tablespoons Bacon Fat
- 4 Cloves Garlic, crushed and chopped
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Paprika
- ½ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, chopped
- ¼ Cup Scallions, chopped
PROCESS:
-Add spices to the raw shrimp
-Place a large covered skillet over high heat
-Add bacon fat and garlic, sauté for one minute.
-Then add shrimp, toss to coat with the bacon and garlic, cover
-Sauté for approximately 5 minutes until pink, remove from heat
-Add the fresh herbs, toss to coat, serve
