I'm taking the classic dish of shrimp and grits
in a different direction and to another level -
I'm making shrimp puppies.
That's old-fashioned hushpuppies with a twist -
the twist being shrimp and grits.
And I'm serving these puppies
with a good ol' rémoulade sauce.
Here's how:
First, let's prepare the shrimp.
Peel and de-tract 8 ounces of shrimp.
Yes. I say de-tract, not de-vein.
That's not a vein running down the back.
It's the digestive tract.
Toss the shrimp with 2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high
and throw in the shrimp.
Sauté until nearly cooked through.
Turn shrimp out onto a plate and let cool.
Now, prepare the puppy fixin's.
Top left:
Whisk together:
1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup grits
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
Top right:
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Pour buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients,
stirring until just combined.
Stir in shrimp.
Cover and chill batter for 15 minutes.
Form batter into small balls -
about 1 1/2 - 2 TB each.
Fry in batches, a few balls at a time, in 350° oil
until golden brown.
About 4-5 minutes.
Be sure to let oil come back up to temperature
before proceeding with next batch.
Drain on paper towels.
Serve with rémoulade.
Rémoulade
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 TB minced sweet bell pepper
2 TB sliced scallions
2 TB chopped parsley
1 TB coarse grained mustard
1 TB lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 TB sweet relish
kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Combine all ingredients and sprinkle
cayenne pepper over top.
Cover and refrigerate until serving.
Enjoy!
