Shrimp and grits

You might say this is the recipe that broke the caveman’s back. Julie had made Paleo Grits only a few days before, and I really wanted to surprise her with a cool meal that incorporated her latest creation. Julie is the real brains behind the apron in our house. So over dinner with Robb Wolf and Nicki Violleti I bragged about my latest creation. Nicki pounded the table and pointed at us. “That’s it, you two are writing a cookbook!” Robb and Nicki proceeded to brainstorm how this “Redneck Paleo Cookbook” (as it was once called) could work. We got an e-mail the next morning from Robb’s publisher and off we went.

History has it that shrimp and grits started as a simple fisherman’s breakfast in the Carolina low country, where they would sauté shrimp in bacon grease and serve over grits. Of course, talk to any chef in the South and they’ll all have a different interpretation on shrimp and grits. Our interpretation? Try it for yourself and see how you like it. Play around with it and make up one of your own! Who knows? Maybe you’ll get the itch to write a cookbook.

4 slices bacon
½ cup (125 mL) celery, diced
½ cup (75 g) green onion, chopped
½ cup (85 g) red pepper, diced
½ cup (50 g) mushrooms, sliced
2 teaspoons (10 ml) Cajun seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound (450 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons (30 ml) almond flour
2 tablespoons sherry
1 cup (250 mL) chicken stock
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove bacon to paper towels.
2. Pour off the bacon grease, reserving about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) in the pan.
3. Return pan to heat, and add celery, green onion, red pepper, and mushrooms, cooking until vegetables are softened. Add Cajun seasoning and stir.
4. In a medium bowl, coat the shrimp with the almond flour. Add to pan along with garlic, and sauté until shrimp are just pink.
5. Stir in sherry, chicken stock and lemon juice, being sure to loosen any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet.
6. Simmer for 5–8 minutes to reduce liquid.
7. Serve shrimp over Paleo Grits (recipe here).

Plan Ahead—Paleo Grits can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. Simply reheat to serve.

Hint—This recipe freezes well. Put shrimp and grits in one container.

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This paleo shrimp and grits brings the Lowcountry to your kitchen without a grain in sight. Smoky bacon, Cajun-spiced shrimp, and a trinity of celery, green onion, and red pepper simmer into a rich pan sauce, all spooned over creamy Paleo Grits.

Pro Tips

• Cook the bacon first and keep its grease in the pan — that one tablespoon of drippings is the flavour foundation the shrimp and vegetables are sautéed in.
• Tossing the shrimp in almond flour before they hit the pan gives them a light crust and helps the sherry-stock sauce thicken as it reduces.
• Add the shrimp to the skillet just until pink, then let the sauce simmer 5–8 minutes to reduce; overcooked shrimp turn rubbery fast.
• Scrape up every browned bit when you add the sherry and chicken stock — that fond is what makes the sauce taste long-cooked.
• Serve the shrimp and sauce straight from the skillet over Paleo Grits so the grits soak up every drop.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Paleo Grits?

They're the grain-free base in this recipe — a creamy cauliflower-based stand-in for corn grits, served as the bed for the shrimp and sauce. The recipe is linked right alongside this one.

Can I make this shrimp skillet ahead of time?

The sauce and vegetables can be cooked ahead and gently rewarmed, but add the shrimp just before serving so they stay tender. It's best eaten the moment it's done.

Is shrimp and grits paleo?

This version is: the grits are grain-free, the thickener is almond flour, and the bacon and vegetables keep everything rich without any dairy or processed ingredients.

What can I use instead of sherry?

A splash of dry white wine works, or simply leave it out and add a squeeze more lemon juice to the sauce for brightness.

Recipe Card

Stav Kogan

Shrimp and grits

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Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 4 slices bacon
• ½ cup (125 mL) celery, diced
• ½ cup (75 g) green onion, chopped
• ½ cup (85 g) red pepper, diced
• ½ cup (50 g) mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb (450 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tbsp almond flour
• 2 tbsp sherry
• 1 cup (250 mL) chicken stock
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Return pan to heat, and add celery, green onion, red pepper, and mushrooms, cooking until vegetables are softened. Add Cajun seasoning and stir.

Method

 

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy.
2. Remove bacon to paper towels.
3. Pour off the bacon grease, reserving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
4. In a medium bowl, coat the shrimp with the almond flour.
5. Add to pan along with garlic, and sauté until shrimp are just pink.
6. Stir in sherry, chicken stock and lemon juice, being sure to loosen any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet.
7. Simmer for 5–8 minutes to reduce liquid.
8. Serve shrimp over Paleo Grits (recipe here).

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!