Bacon & Shrimp Cheesy Grits

Ingredients

Contains: milk, soy, fish, shellfish (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• 1 pound Shrimp, Peeled, Cleaned And Deveined
• 1 Tablespoon Hot Sauce
• ½ teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning (or Other Cajun Spice Blend)
• ¼ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
• ½ teaspoons Garlic Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Black Pepper, More To Taste
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt (more To Taste)
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 stalks Scallions, Chopped, More To Garnish
• 3-¼ cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock
• 1 cup Dry Corn Grits
• 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Divided
• ½ cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, More To Garnish
• 3 slices Bacon, Diced
• ½ cups Minced Shallots
• 1 cup Finely Diced Bell Peppers (assorted Colors)
• 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
• ½ cups Dry White Wine
• 3 dashes Worcestershire Sauce, More To Taste
• ¼ teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Cook the diced bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Move the bacon to a paper towel, leaving about 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pan.

2. Toss the shrimp with the hot sauce, Old Bay or Cajun spice blend, cayenne, garlic salt, red pepper flakes, and half the black pepper. Refrigerate until needed.

3. Add the olive oil to the bacon pan over medium-high heat. Cook the shrimp 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque, reaching 145°F (63°C). Transfer to a plate.

4. Reduce heat to medium. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the pan. Add the shallots and bell peppers and cook 4 minutes, until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds.

5. Pour in the white wine and simmer about 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by about half.

6. Meanwhile, bring the chicken stock to a boil in a separate saucepan. Slowly whisk in the grits, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often, until thick and creamy.

7. Stir the cheddar, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the Worcestershire sauce, and kosher salt and black pepper to taste into the grits until melted and smooth.

8. Spoon the cheesy grits into bowls. Top with the shrimp, shallot and pepper mixture, and crumbled bacon. Garnish with the scallions and extra cheddar.