Description
Southern kitchens come alive with red snapper shrimp grits cajun, a sizzling seafood classic that brings Charleston’s coastal charm straight to your dinner table. Spicy shrimp dancing over creamy grits make this dish a delectable celebration of Southern culinary traditions.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 red snapper fillets (about 170 g each)
- 225 g large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 240 g stone-ground grits
Seafood Base:
- 15 ml olive oil
- 14 g unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Sauce and Finishing Ingredients:
- 960 ml chicken broth or water
- 240 ml heavy cream
- 28 g unsalted butter
- 60 g shredded cheddar cheese
- 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Boil 960 ml chicken broth in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in 240 g stone-ground grits, stirring constantly at low heat for 20-25 minutes until thick.
- Mix 28 g butter, 240 ml heavy cream, and 60 g cheddar cheese into hot grits. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm and covered.
- Toss 225 g shrimp with 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning in a mixing bowl until evenly coated.
- Heat 15 ml olive oil and 14 g butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat at 375°F. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add seasoned shrimp in a single layer. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until they turn pink and opaque. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Pat 2 red snapper fillets dry and season both sides with Cajun seasoning.
- In the same skillet, add another 15 ml olive oil and 14 g butter over medium-high heat at 375°F.
- Cook snapper fillets 3-4 minutes per side until golden and fully cooked. Remove from skillet.
- Melt 28 g butter in skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté 1 minute.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 240 ml chicken broth. Simmer 2 minutes.
- Pour 240 ml heavy cream into the skillet. Stir and simmer another 2 minutes.
- Blend 50 g Parmesan cheese and 1 teaspoon hot sauce into the sauce. Cook until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Spoon creamy grits onto warm plates. Place snapper fillet on grits and top with Cajun shrimp.
- Drizzle generously with prepared Cajun cream sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Whisk grits continuously to prevent lumps and achieve a smooth, creamy texture that coats the back of a spoon.
- Choose fresh, high-quality red snapper and shrimp for the best flavor, and pat them dry before seasoning to ensure a perfect golden sear.
- Allow the seafood to cook undisturbed in the skillet to develop a beautiful crust and enhance the Cajun seasoning’s depth.
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream and use less butter, which keeps the dish flavorful while reducing calories.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 700 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 50 g
- Cholesterol: 220 mg