Name: Shrimp and Grits
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 slice Bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice; 1 1/2 lb Jumbo shrimp, 21 to 25 per lb, peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen; 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, such as Emeril's; 1/2 tsp Salt; 2 tbsp Unsalted butter; 1 bunch Scallions, thinly sliced, light and dark green parts divided; 1 stalk Celery, large, finely diced; 1 Red bell pepper, small, finely diced; 2 clove Garlic, finely chopped; 3 tbsp All-purpose flour; 2 cup Chicken broth; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1/2 tsp Hot sauce, such as Tabasco; 4 cup Milk, whole or 2%; 3/4 tsp Salt; 1 cup Quick-cooking grits; 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

Method

6 steps. Tap one to mark it done.

Set a big nonstick pan over medium heat. Toss in the bacon and fry, stirring now and then, for about 7 minutes until it becomes crispy. Put the shrimp into the pan, seasoning them with salt and the Cajun seasoning. Raise the stove to medium-high heat and sauté, stirring now and then, until the shrimp turn mostly pink but remain slightly underdone, roughly 2 minutes. Move the shrimp and bacon into a bowl to save for later, putting the dirty skillet back on the burner.
Let the butter melt in the pan. Toss in the light green scallions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic, and sauté, stirring once in a while, until they soften, taking roughly 4 minutes. Scatter the flour over the vegetables and stir until it is fully blended.
Pour in the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce, whisking everything together, and let the mixture reach a boil. Turn down the flame and let it simmer without a lid for 5 to 7 minutes, until it thickens a bit. Take the skillet off the burner and leave it to the side while preparing the grits.
Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and heat the milk and salt until boiling. Stirring continuously with a whisk, slowly stream the grits into the boiling milk. Lower the flame to low and simmer, whisking regularly for around 5 minutes until the texture is thick and creamy (keep stirring to avoid any splashing). Take the pot off the stove and mix in the Cheddar cheese. Sample the grits to see if more salt is required, then place a lid on top to retain heat until you are ready to plate.
Return the skillet containing the vegetable sauce to the stove and warm it to a simmer using medium heat. Put the shrimp and bacon, plus all the collected bowl juices, back into the pan and stir thoroughly to combine. Sauté, stirring regularly, for 2 to 3 minutes until the shrimp are fully cooked. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as desired. Scatter a small portion of the dark green scallions across the top of the shrimp.
Portion out the grits into individual serving bowls. Ladle the shrimp and sauce over each portion of grits, then serve. Offer additional hot sauce at the table for those who want it.