Red Chile Spiced Shrimp and Grits
A flavorful twist on a classic Southern shrimp and grits dish using North African spices and a harissa-inspired red chile sauce.
Ingredients
Harissa Inspired Red Chile Sauce
- 2 large red bell peppers (about 500g) – trimmed and seeded (see note)
- 10 serrano peppers (about 115g) – trimmed and seeded
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and halved
- 2 lemons zest and juice
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ cup + 3 tablespoon water (165 ml)
- ¼ cup olive oil (60 ml)
For the Shrimp
- 1 Pound large shrimp (U-20), peeled and deveined
For the Grits
- 4 ¾ cups water
- 2 tablespoon Ras El Hanout (see write-up above for a homemade version)
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup stone-ground grits, yellow or white
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
For Garnish (optional)
- Green onion tops
- Parsley
- Additional harissa sauce as desired
Instructions
Make the Red Chile Sauce
- Cut both red peppers into medium chunks. Add all ingredients except the oil to a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer and let the mixture simmer for 25 minutes.
- Put the mixture in a blender and very carefully (see note) blend until smooth. Transfer entire mixture to a large sauté pan and stir in the olive oil. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring often to prevent scorching and sticking, to evaporate most of the water content. This should take about 30 minutes.
Prepare the Shrimp
- Place the shrimp in a zip top bag with ⅓ cup of the Harissa Inspired Red Chile Sauce and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Once the shrimp have marinated, remove them to a plate. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook until done, about 4-6 minutes.
Prepare the Grits
- Before the shrimp are done marinating, you can start the grits. Bring the water, Ras El Hanout, and salt to a boil in a large pot. Add the grits and stir. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Stir often to ensure the grits do not stick to the bottom of the pot. Cook for 30 minutes. Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve in a bowl and top with the spicy shrimp. Garnish with green onions or parsley if desired.
Notes
Alternatively, you can use store bought Harissa to marinate the shrimp.
You can also use green bell pepper for the marinade. The color will obviously be green instead of red and the flavor will change.
Make sure your blender is on low when turned on or start with the lowest setting and make sure it is covered. Hot items in a blender will shoot out of the top if you are not careful causing potential injury and certain mess.
Nutrition
Calories: 448kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 21gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 158mgSodium: 1814mgPotassium: 527mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 3227IUVitamin C: 141mgCalcium: 137mgIron: 3mg
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