Cajun Style Shrimp and Grits

Recipe for a zesty, delicious breakfast or southern style dinner - Shrimp and grits

Shrimp and Grits is an old Southern favorite wand it is great as a light supper or a filling breakfast.
The typically American "Grits" is made from a white maize variety and in Europe you can get it online in the American or Afro-Caribbean food shop. You can also take white polenta (polenta bianca) from Italy, which is a bit more coarsely ground. The Tasso Ham is an aromatic cured and smoked ham with a strong smoky taste, produced in Louisiana. You can replace with smoked ham or bacon.

Ingredients (for 4 persons)

1 cup grits (about 225 g)
24 - 32 Scampi (500 g)
150 g Tasso Ham
1 small onion
1 clove of garlic
½ green bell pepper
2 scallions
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup whipping cream (200 g)
60 ml white wine
2 cups (500 ml) of water
Cajun spice (or you season with chilli powder, oregano, thyme, paprika)
Salt, pepper

Preparation

Peel and dice the onion. Peel garlic clove and chop finely. Rinse the bell pepper, core it and dice. Wash, peel and devein shrimp. Clean scallions and cut into fine slices, green parts only.

Lightly salt 0.5 litre of water and bring to a boil. Add the grits while stirring to prevent them from clumping up. Let it boil for a couple of minutes while stirring then lower the heat to about medium and let it simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes until the grits are tender and the water is reduced and the mixture should be a little thickened. If you use instant grits, follow the package instructions. Set aside and keep warm.

Dice the ham. Heat 2 tblsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add tasso ham and sauté 2 minutes until golden. Stir in onion and green bell pepper and cook until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. Lightly stir the shrimp with the vegetables just until pink, remove shrimp from pan and set aside. Pour white wine into the skillet and stir, dissolving any browned bits of food in the bottom of the skillet; slowly add the cream, reduce heat to low, and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.

Divide the grits onto serving plates and line the edge of each plate with 6 to 8 shrimp. Pour cream sauce over grits and sprinkle each serving with chopped green onion tops.

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