Name: The Camphouse - Diamondhead, MS Cajun Seafood Grits Recipe
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients: 4 cups water; 1 cups whole milk; 1 cups coarse stone-ground grits; 2 tbs unsalted butter; 2 oz cream cheese; 1 cups grated Parmesan cheese; 1 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 2 tbs unsalted butter; 1 tbs olive oil; 1 each large shallot, finely chopped; 3 each garlic cloves, minced; 1 each bell pepper (red or green), small dice; 1 each celery stalk, small dice; 12 each gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined (16/20 count); 8 oz crawfish tails, peeled (fresh or thawed frozen); 1 tbs all-purpose flour; 1 tbs Cajun seasoning; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp hot sauce (eg. Crystal or Tabasco); 1 tbs dry white wine or seafood stock; 1 cups heavy cream; 1 cups chicken or seafood stock; 1 tbs fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 2 tbs chopped fresh parsley; 2 each scallions, thinly sliced (for garnish); 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method

Cheese Grits

Bring liquids to a simmer

In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups water and 1 cup whole milk to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add 1 tsp kosher salt.

Slowly whisk in grits

Gradually whisk in 1 cup stone-ground grits to prevent lumps. Reduce heat to low so the mixture is at a low simmer.

Simmer and stir

Cook grits, stirring frequently, for 20–25 minutes (check package for exact timing) until thick and tender. If grits thicken too much, add up to 1/2 cup extra milk or water to reach desired creaminess.

Finish with cheeses and butter

Remove from heat and stir in 2 tbs unsalted butter, 2 oz cream cheese, 1 cup grated Parmesan, and 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar until melted and silky. Taste and adjust seasoning with 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper and additional salt if needed. Keep covered and warm while preparing seafood.

Cajun Seafood (Shrimp & Crawfish) and Sauce

Prep seafood and aromatics

Pat 12 shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of Cajun seasoning. Have 8 oz crawfish tails drained and ready. Finely chop 1 shallot, mince 3 garlic cloves, dice 1 bell pepper and 1 celery stalk.

Sauté vegetables

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tbs butter with 1 tbs olive oil. Add the chopped shallot, bell pepper, and celery and sauté 3–4 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Season and dust seafood

Sprinkle 1 tbs Cajun seasoning and 1 tsp smoked paprika over the shrimp and crawfish and toss to coat. Lightly dust with 1 tbs all-purpose flour and toss again to help thicken the sauce.

Brown seafood briefly

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the seasoned shrimp to the skillet in a single layer and cook 1 minute per side just until they begin to turn pink (they will finish cooking in the sauce). Add the crawfish tails and cook 30–60 seconds to warm through. Remove shrimp and crawfish to a plate and set aside, leaving aromatics and browned bits in the pan.

Deglaze and build sauce

Pour 1 tbs dry white wine (or seafood stock) into the hot skillet to deglaze, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Let reduce 30–45 seconds. Add 1 cup chicken or seafood stock and 1 cup heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.

Finish sauce

Whisk in 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp hot sauce, 1 tbs chopped fresh parsley and 1 tbs fresh lemon juice. Simmer the cream sauce 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and season with remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper as needed.

Return seafood to sauce

Return the shrimp and crawfish to the skillet and simmer 1–2 minutes until seafood is cooked through and the sauce coats the pieces. Do not overcook shrimp—remove from heat when opaque and firm. Stir in remaining 1 tbs chopped parsley.

Plate and garnish

Spoon a generous portion of the cheese grits into shallow bowls. Top with a ladle of the Cajun seafood and cream sauce. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan or parsley if desired. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.