It’s not often that I talk about “Prepping” before cooking. Since this recipe comes together so fast, it’s important to have the ingredients on hand and ready to go. So be sure to peel and devein your shrimp and remove the chorizo casing. Chop the onions, pepper and tomato. Set out the spices, half & half, and anything else in the ingredients list. I like to be very organized when cooking, so that I don’t get stressed out wondering where an item is “hiding”. It is the absolute worst when you have a hot pan and can’t find your ingredients to add. Believe me, been there/done that, and I do not recommend it. So just do the prep work and everything will go smoothly. I also love to read through an entire recipe before starting to cook. This way I know what to expect and there’s no surprises encountered. With that being said, let’s talk about how absolutely fabulous this shrimp and grits is!
Y’all know how much I love anything with a Mexican flair… I thought, “Hmm I bet I could make a killer Mexican version of shrimp & grits.” So that’s what I did! I took some of my favorite Mexican spices and flavors and cooked up this beautiful bowl of food. Oh was it a success! I topped the dish with a buttery and crisp baguette, a savory fried egg, crumbled queso fresco and fresh cilantro. I’m a firm believer in the fact that a fried egg is always a good idea. The runny yolk drips down over the spicy shrimp with chorizo tomato gravy and creamy pepper-jack grits… and truly brings a whole new level of savory to the dish. I promise you, it’s a step you don’t want to skip! The baguette is there for a “spoon” type tool to mop up all that good gravy in one bite. Ugh, it’s to die for. The crispy bread is a must have.
CLICK TO BUY:
MEXICAN SHRIMP & GRITS SMOTHERED IN CHORIZO TOMATO GRAVY
Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes
Total time: Less than 40 minutes
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS for shrimp and chorizo tomato gravy:
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Seasoning salt
- 2 links chorizo, casing removed (like brand, La Banderita)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped small
- 1 serrano chili, diced small
- 2 roma tomatoes, diced small
- 2 tsp all purpose flour
- 1 can hot rotel
- 1/2 cup half & half
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 large limes, juice of
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- Fried egg
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat a large cast iron skillet to medium high heat and add in butter. Let melt.
- Season shrimp with seasoning salt and add in to the skillet. Cook shrimp 2 minutes a side (or until cooked and light pink in color). Remove from the skillet immediately and set aside.
- Add in chorizo and cook for about 6-8 minutes, or until fully cooked through and slightly crisp on the edges. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Do not rinse the skillet. Immediately add in olive oil, onion and chili. Cook for about 4 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add in garlic and tomatoes and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add in flour and mix to incorporate. Cook for another 60 seconds.
- Add in rotel, half & half, salt, cumin, oregano, coriander and chili powder. Mix to combine and bring to a soft boil. The sauce will begin to thicken slightly. Add in 1 tbsp chicken stock at a time if the sauce is “too” thick. All together this will take about 5-8 minutes.
- Add lime juice and cilantro and stir once more.
- Serve warm with pepper-jack grits. (recipe below)
+Topping ideas: Fried egg, toasted baguette, lime wedges, extra cilantro, or queso fresco cheese.
INGREDIENTS for pepper-jack grits:
- 1 cup quick grits
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3/4 cup pepper jack, grated
- 1/3 cup white american cheese, grated
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 pinches salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS:
- In a medium sized pot, add in chicken broth and bring to a rapid boil.
- Add in grits and turn heat down to medium. Whisk frequently as the grits cook. The grits will slowly begin to thicken. Will take about 4 minutes
- Once grits are cooked,turn off heat and add in pepper jack cheese, white american cheese,heavy cream and salt & pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately with shrimp.