Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup yellow grits (not instant)
- 3 cups filtered water (plus more as needed)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Salt, pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 16 large shrimp, peeled, deveined (about one pound) (large, wild-caught (preferably from the Gulf or coast of South Carolina))
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ small onion, finely diced
- ½ cup fresh basil, loosely packed, chopped (plus more as garnish)
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 small jalapeño, seeded, finely diced
- hot sauce (to taste)
Instructions
Grits
- Bring 3 cups water to a simmer in a large saucepan. Gradually whisk in grits. Turn heat to low; gently simmer until grits begin to thicken. Continue cooking, stirring often and adding water by 1/4 cupfuls if too thick, until tender, about 1 hour. Stir in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
Shrimp
- Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Add the diced onion and jalapeño, sauté until onion is fragrant and slightly golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic. Add shrimp. When garlic begins to brown, the worcestershire sauce. Simmer until shrimp is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add a splash of hot sauce, if using. Stir the shrimp in garlic/onion mixture, and then add the fresh basil. Remove from heat.
- Divide grits among bowls, forming a well in center. Spoon shrimp mixture into center of grits. Garnish with more fresh basil. Serve immediately.