Kardea’s Shrimp and Grits

This week on Your Mama’s Kitchen, I am joined by the fabulous, Emmy-nominated, and New York Times Best Selling chef, TV host, and author Kardea Brown for what is without a doubt one of our most DELICIOUS conversations yet!

As a kitchen aficionado myself, I always love when my guest and I can just dig into the weeds in figuring out how to make food sing, as Kardea and I do throughout our conversation. She shares her go-to kitchen staples, the five components of her signature seasoning blend, and as you can see in this preview clip, I can barely keep myself in my seat as Kardea describes her knockout recipe for a desert that combines cheesecake and sweet potato pie!

Whew Lord!!!

She opens up about her ancestral history, and describes how it continues to drive her purpose as she works to prevent cherished traditions from being erased via her cooking show, her digital platform, and her upcoming cookbook, “Make Do With What You Have”—out in stores everywhere on November 11th!

Kardea officially shares with us her recipe for Shrimp and Grits, done Gullah style!

Check out this episode of Your Mama’s Kitchen now on YT and wherever you find your podcasts. 🎧

Listen, and as always, let us know whatcha think!

Ingredients

4 SERVINGS:

4 strips bacon

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pound medium uncooked wild shrimp, peeled and deveined

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons all purpose flour, divided (plus more if needed)

A heavy pinch of garlic powder, plus more if needed

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil, plus more if needed

1 cup hot water

Kosher Salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 cup green onions sliced on a bias

GRITS:

2 ½ cups heavy cream, (reserve the ½ cup)

½ stick unsalted butter

Kosher salt

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups speckled stone-ground grits (I use Marsh Hen Mill)

2 cups white cheddar

INSTRUCTIONS:

Seasoned jumbo shrimp cooked in a brown pan gravy served over creamy stone ground Marsh Hen Mill grits.

FOR THE SHRIMP

In a bowl sprinkle the uncooked shrimp with a 1 tablespoon of flour, few pinches of salt, pepper and garlic powder then toss. Set aside.

Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium-high heat.

Add the bacon and cook until crispy. Remove and set aside, reserving the drippings in the pan.

Add the onions to the skillet. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and cook on medium-low, stirring, until slightly tender and the skillet has browned bits, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Turn the skillet up to medium-high heat and add the canola oil. Add the remaining flour.

Stir until flour and onions have browned together.

Now add the seasoned shrimp and cook until the shrimp has turned slightly pink.

Slowly whisk in the hot water and bring to a slight boil, stir, and reduce the heat to a simmer until the gravy thickens and browns, about 5 mins.

Taste the gravy and add adjust to your liking. I usually add a little more salt and freshly cracked pepper. You may also add more garlic powder if you want. The consistency of the gravy should be slightly thick but not gummy. Serve the shrimp over the prepared grits topped with green onions and reserved bacon.

FOR THE GRITS

Combine 2 cups heavy cream, butter, a heavy pinch of salt and water a large saucepan.

Whisk in the grits. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer, cover but keep stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed, and the grits are creamy, about 45 minutes. (Add the reserved ½ cup of heavy cream if the grits look too thick). Stir in cheese. Taste and adjust to your liking. Serve with shrimp gravy.

Michele’s Kitchen Notes
Shrimp & Grits have become a restaurant staple but there's nothing like a homemade batch. But grits are not a staple in everyone’s kitchen and they are not a thing you try for the first time and guarantee a win with a recipe like this. Many of us have suffered epic grit failures because the pan was too hot, we didn’t have enough water, or didn’t stir enough, resulting in lumpy or watery grits. Or, the grits can get gritty and if you’ve experienced grits that feel like they are laden with what feels like popcorn hulls- you know what I mean.

Here are some tips for a a few practice runs if you have never prepared grits before.

1. Pick the right grits

Stone-ground or Southern Style grits have the most flavor but take the longest (30–45 min).

Quick grits and instant grits cook faster (5–7 min) but can be less rich in flavor. (However, they are a good bet for breakfast.)

You might want to qvoid instant grits if you want a creamier texture. If they don’t have stone ground grits at your local grocery store, It’s easier to find them online these days. Just make sure you are ordering White grits for this recipe because stone ground varieties come in blue, red and yellow.

2. Liquid ratio matters

A good rule of thumb: 4 parts liquid to 1 part grits.

You can try half water, half milk (or chicken stock) for the best balance of creaminess and flavor.

3. Heat & stirring

Bring liquid to a boil, whisk in grits slowly to prevent clumping. It’s best to use a heavy bottom pot and if you have a high performance stove, you might want to use one of the back burners.

Lower heat to low simmer right away.

Stir often (every couple minutes) with a whisk or wooden spoon to prevent sticking and lumps.

4. Seasoning

Salt the liquid before adding grits (they won’t absorb salt well after cooking).

Add a little butter early, and more at the end if you want them extra rich.

5. Finishing touches

When thick and tender, stir in cheese, cream, or extra butter.

For savory grits, try sharp cheddar, Parmesan, chèvre or goat cheese. My friend Tamara swears by smoked Gruyère cheese to add a little zing.

Some folks like breakfast-style sweet grits, finished with honey, white or brown sugar, and cinnamon. That’s not my ministry but I am not going to yuk someone’s yum.

6. Patience pays off

The longer you cook (especially stone-ground), the creamier and more flavorful they’ll be. If they get too thick, whisk in a little more hot water, milk, or cream.

This is not a great make ahead dish. It’s best take this from stove to table.

7.) make sure you have some hot sauce on the table 😍