American Soul Food: Shrimp & Grits
1:3424 Jun 2026@annilravin
Chef Annil takes a culinary trip to the American South to prepare a classic comfort food: Shrimp and Grits. He demonstrates how to make a creamy, cheesy base using polenta cooked with chicken stock and fresh thyme. To top it off, he sears Creole-seasoned jumbo tiger prawns and savory sliced sausages, tossing them in a rich, spiced vegetable sauce with bell peppers, tomato paste, and thick cream. It is a hearty, flavorful soul food recipe that is easy to recreate at home.
American Soul Food: Shrimp & Grits
Ingredients
Method
- In a heavy-based pot, melt butter and add the polenta.
- Pour in chicken stock, add a sprig of fresh thyme, and whisk well. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning at the bottom.
- In a separate wok, heat oil and fry the sliced sausages until browned. Remove the sausages from the wok and set aside.
- Season the jumbo tiger prawns with Creole seasoning. In the same wok with sausage-infused oil, sear the prawns on both sides until cooked through and nicely colored. Remove and set aside with the sausages.
- In the same wok, sauté the chopped white onion, diced bell peppers, and some fresh thyme.
- Stir in tomato paste, Creole seasoning, and Old Bay seasoning. Cook down over low heat.
- Stir thick cream into the vegetable mix, and season with salt and a touch of sugar.
- Add the cooked sausages and prawns back into the sauce wok and toss to coat.
- Adjust the consistency of the cooked polenta with a bit of water, then stir in a generous amount of grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese until creamy and cheesy.
- To serve, ladle the cheesy polenta into a bowl and spoon the savory shrimp and sausage mixture over the top.