The shrimp and grits here at The Secret Garden Cafe is our take on a southern classic. Unlike a lot of recipes we have seen, ours contains no pork, but is delicious all the same. Our recipe for shrimp and grits have been a staple on our menu since we opened in 2013. It’s also one of the few recipes that we have not changed over the years. It’s a very simple plate but it hits all the flavor notes that make a great dish: sweet, tangy, spicy, savory.
One of the thing that makes this version of shrimp and grits unique is our cheddar grit cake. We allow the grits to cool on a sheet tray and then slice them into squares. We sear them in butter on a flat top giving it a crispy outside and a warm gooey center. This is a prime example of what is so amazing about culinary. There are endless ways to transform food using such simple ingredients! There is literally nothing fancy about our food at The Secret Garden Cafe. Its quality ingredients, made fresh, in unique ways have helped grow our client base over the years. Anyone can make this food at home and the ingredients are easily found at your local grocery store.
We love sharing our recipes and this one has been requested frequently. We hope you will enjoy making this recipe at home! The components keep well and can easily be made with fresh or frozen shrimp.
We use jumbo tiger shrimp at the restaurant, but feel free to use whatever size shrimp you have available. You can toss in some crispy lardons or bacon as well if you are a traditionalist! I encourage people to play around with the recipe. There is no one way to make anything! Cheers!
Recipe by: Sarah Devight
| Time: 1 hour | Course: Entree | Serves: 5 | Difficulty: Medium |
| INGREDIENTS Cajun Sauce 2 tbsp Butter 2 Cups Heavy cream 2 Tbsp Cajun Seasoning (we make our own in house but store bought works fine) Cayenne pepper 1 tsp Salt ¾ tsp Black Pepper 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp vinegar based hot sauce (Texas Pete or RedHot work well) 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water *Note: Our in house Cajun seasoning ingredients: garlic salt, onion powder, paprika, oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper, black pepper, kosher salt. Cheddar Grit Cake 2 cups Quick Grits 8 cups water 4 tbsp butter 1 ½ tsp Kosher salt 3/4 tsp black pepper 4 cups sharp cheddar Roasted Corn Salsa 2 Ears of corn (fresh – don’t cheat here!) 4 -5 large tomatoes ½ Red onion 1 bushel cilantro 1 tsp kosher salt ¼ tsp garlic salt ¾ tsp black pepper ¾ tsp cayenne pepper Juice of 1 lime 2 tbsp vegetable oil Blackened Shrimp 25 Large Jumbo Shrimp Cajun seasoning Butter STEPS Cajun Sauce 1.) Start by heating up a medium saucepan and adding butter and garlic. Cook garlic until you can start smelling the fragrance, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat. 2.) Add all your dry seasonings and mix with a wooden spoon with the heat off for another 30 seconds. 3.) Turn back on the heat to a medium high and add heavy cream. Stir until it reaches a low simmer then add hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. 4.) Combine cornstarch with cold water and mix until completely dissolved and smooth. This is called making a slurry. 5.) Add the slurry to the sauce and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. You want to make sure the cornstarch has been completely cooked otherwise you will be left with a sandy texture. Yuck! 6.) Remove from heat and taste for additional seasoning and set aside until ready for use. Cheddar Grit Cakes 2 cups Quick Grits 8 cups water 4 tbsp butter 1 ½ tsp Kosher salt 3/4 tsp black pepper 4 cups sharp cheddar 1.) In a large pot add water, salt and butter. Heat until simmering and butter has melted. 2.) Slowly pour in quick grits, stirring constantly. Stir until mixture thickens and grits have become soft. 3.) Add in black pepper and cheddar cheese. Taste for seasoning. 4.) Remove from heat and pour onto a well-greased cookie sheet. Allow grits to cool completely in the refrigerator before slicing into squares. Roasted Corn Salsa 1.) Shuck corn and make sure to remove all the silk. Place on a sheet pan and roast in a 400 degree F oven for about 15-20 minutes rotating them halfway through. Once they develop a slight char, remove from oven and allow to cool. 2.) With a sharp knife, remove corn kernels from husk and set aside. 3.) Dice tomatoes and onions and place in a large bowl. 4.) Chop cilantro finely and add to the bowl along with corn 5.) Add oil, salt, garlic salt, cayenne, pepper, and lime juice 6.) Gently mix together and taste for seasoning. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve. Assembly 1.) Heat flat top or cast iron pan and add a few table spoons of butter. Grill the grit cakes on each side for about 3 minutes per side and place on a serving plates. 2.) In a cast iron pan, add butter and allow the pan to get hot, the butter will start to brown but don’t let it burn. Add shrimp (about 5-8) make sure not to over crowd the pan or you won’t get a good sear on the shrimp. Season generously with cajun seasoning. cook on both sides (about 2 minutes on each side). 3.) Top grit cake with roasted salsa and add five shrimp per plate around the grit cake. 4.) Warm up cajun sauce and pour around the plate. Garnish with more cilantro if desired. Serve right away. |
