Cajun Crawfish and Jumbo Shrimp with Cheesy Grits

Cajun Crawfish and Jumbo Shrimp with Cheesy Grits

Some school nights are more hectic than others.  Last night was one of those hectic ones! Both chefs had TONS of homework, and the Sous chef had several work deadlines to meet.  Despite the chaotic evening, we were able to make this amazing dish.  What made it most delicious was Chef Fresh’s decision to add different elements to this classic comfort recipe.  He really prides himself on being the seafood expert in this house. 🙂

Chef Fresh opted not to use cheddar in the grits (The Sous Chef’s go-to favorite), and instead used smoked guyere and camembert cheeses.  The richness, creaminess, and the smokiness really complimented the spice in the shrimp and crawfish sauce….which was honestly good enough to eat alone like a fish stew.   I (Sous Chef) was simply floored by how yummy it was, and was reprimanded for “taste testing” (aka, sampling) too much. LOL!  While Chef Jess had a lesser role, she definitely made her mark by adjusting the Cajun seasoning and suggesting a touch of fresh basil. 

You would honestly think that the chefs spent hours preparing this, but it took far less than an hour!  Busy moms and dads can surely whip this up any day of the week.  Who doesn’t love that?  So, add this to your regular menu because your family and guests will definitely thank you!

Bon appétit,

Cajun Crawfish and Shrimp with Cheesy Grits

2015-11-11 10:51:04

The Cajun Crawfish and Jumbo Shrimp are a perfect compliment to the creamy guyere and camembert cheesy grits. It's comfort food with a dash of elegance.

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For Grits

1. 2 cups heavy cream
2. 2 cups vegetable Stock
3. 1/4 cup butter
4. 2 cups shredded Smoked Guyere cheese
5. 4 oz camembert cheese
6. 1 tsp onion powder
7. Salt and black pepper to taste
8. 1 cup stone-ground grits

For Crawfish and Shrimp

1. 1 pound of crawfish tails (Find in seafood freezer section of grocery store)
2. 1 pound jumbo shrimp (deshelled and deveined)
3. 1/2 lemon
4. salt and black pepper to taste
5. 6 bacon slices
6. 1/2 yellow onion, finely-chopped
7. 5 cloves garlic, minced
8. 2 TBSP tomato paste
9. 1 cup vegetable stock
10. 3 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
11. 1 tsp chopped Basil
12. 2 TBSP Cajun seasoning (or more. Add to your liking)
13. 2 tsp smoked paprika
14. 5 stems chopped green onion for garnish
15. Hot sauce

For Grits

1. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine cream, and stock; bring to a gentle boil. Add butter and onion powder. Slowly add grits, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the grits are tender. Finish by stirring in cheeses, and adding salt and pepper (to taste). Add additional stock if your grits begin to harden. The consistency should be creamy. Keep warm.

For Crawfish and Shrimp

1. Sprinkle crawfish and shrimp with salt, and pepper; set aside. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove from heat and coarsely chop. Put aside. Keep about 5 tablespoons bacon grease in the frying pan. Add onion, and garlic; saute 10 minutes or until the onion is transparent. Add tomato paste to pan and stir to coat onions. Add stock; stir well. Add paprika, Cajun seasoning, basil, parsley and lemon juice. Taste sauce to determine if it has the right level of heat. Add Cajun seasoning as desired, a little at a time. Turn heat down and add crawfish and shrimp. Allow shrimp to cook in the sauce. Do not overcook Remove from heat.
2. To serve, ladle the grits into individual bowls. Spoon the crawfish/shrimp mixture over top the grits. Sprinkle with chopped bacon, and garnish with green onions.

Notes

1. We are big fans of spicy food, so we add a couple dashes of our favorite hot sauce. However, you can easily omit this is your palate doesn't care for heat.

By Young Chefs

Together Three Chef http://togetherthreechef.com/

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