Creamy Cajun Shrimp and Boursin Grits
Creamy Cajun Shrimp and Boursin Grits is an easy to prepare but elegant dish to serve for any occasion. Succulent fresh shrimp are cooked to perfection in a creamy garlic and parmesan sauce. Ordinary grits are taken to new heights with the addition of not only Boursin cheese but also smoked Gouda cheese.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 765kcal
Ingredients
Boursin Grits
- 3 ½ cups chicken broth (See Tip 1)
- ¾ cup Quick grits (See Tip 2)
- ¼ cup (½ stick, 2 ounces) unsalted butter (See Tip 3)
- 5.2 ounce package Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs cheese
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded smoked Gouda cheese (See Tip 4)
- Kosher salt to taste
Creamy Cajun Shrimp
- 1 pound peeled and deveined fresh shrimp (See Tip 5)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon freshly minced garlic (about 4 large cloves)
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ cup dry white wine (See Tip 6)
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream (See Tip 7)
- ½ cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Freshly minced parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Boursin Grits
- Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add grits; stir to combine.
- Lower heat to medium low; simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes or until thick and creamy, stirring occasionally.
- Add butter, Boursin and Gouda cheeses; stir until melted. Cook an additional 5 minutes.
- Yield: 6 servings.
Creamy Cajun Shrimp
- Combine shrimp and Cajun seasoning.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add about ⅓ of the shrimp. Cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, just until shrimp begins to color. Remove from skillet. Repeat with remaining shrimp.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to same skillet used to cook the shrimp. Add minced garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour; stir to combine. Cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, stir to combine. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Add cream; stir to combine. Cook until thick and bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes. Add freshly grated Parmesan cheese; stir until melted.
- Add partially cooked shrimp to sauce. Cook over medium heat until bubbly and shrimp are fully cooked, 3 to 4 minutes.
- If desired, garnish with freshly minced parsley.
- Serve with Boursin grits. (See Tip 8)
- Yield: 6 servings
Notes
- I used low sodium chicken broth. You could also use regular chicken broth or water.
- I've never made this with stone-ground grits. However, if you decided to use stone-ground grits, you will need to increase the cooking time.
- You could also use salted butter. However, be sure to watch the salt content of the grits.
- I like the subtle taste that smoked Gouda adds to the grits. However, you could use Velveeta Cheese or a mild cheddar cheese in place of the smoked Gouda.
- I always use fresh shrimp for this dish. You may, however, use thawed frozen shrimp. I leave the tails on the shrimp for appearance. Feel free, however, to remove the shrimp tails.
- I like to use a dry Chardonnay, which is the same wine that I serve with the dish. Don't be tempted to use a cooking wine. If you prefer not to use wine, substitute chicken broth.
- Rather than heavy cream, you can use half-and-half. It won't be quite as luxurious but will still be good!
- You can also serve the Creamy Cajun Shrimp over pasta instead of grits.
Nutrition
Calories: 765kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 59g | Saturated Fat: 36g | Cholesterol: 371mg | Sodium: 1211mg | Potassium: 324mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1979IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 507mg | Iron: 3mg