Alfredo Shrimp & Grits
This is Alfredo Shrimp and Grits. We’re moving away from the "wet sand" you find at hotel buffets and building a foundation with stone-ground white corn grits and a full puck of Boursin cheese. Topped with a sunset-orange Cajun Alfredo and crispy pancetta, this isn't just a side dish—it's an intervention.
🛒 Grocery List
The Foundation:
1 cup stone-ground white corn grits
3.5 cups unsalted chicken stock
1 puck Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Kosher salt (to taste)
The Main Characters:
1 lb large tiger shrimp (peeled & deveined, tails on)
4 oz cured pancetta, diced
1.5 tsp Tiger Life Shrimp & Grits Seasoning (https://tigerlifegourmet.com)
0.5 tsp smoked paprika
The Cajun Alfredo Sauce:
2 tbsp unsalted butter
5 cloves garlic, minced
0.75 cup dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc)
1 cup heavy cream
0.75 cup freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano
Garnish: Fresh chives & 1 lemon (halved)
🍳 Instructions
1. The "Mortar" Grits
Bring your chicken stock to a rolling boil in a heavy pot. Whisk in the stone-ground grits and immediately drop the heat to low. The Cue: You want a slow, volcanic bubble. Cover and simmer for 20–25 minutes. Once the liquid is absorbed and the grits are "mortar" thick, fold in the butter and the entire puck of Boursin cheese. Whisk until it’s smooth and rich. Kill the heat and keep the lid on to let them "set".
2. Render the Pancetta
Start your diced, cured pancetta in a cold skillet. Turn the heat to medium and let the fat render out slowly until the pork is dark and crunchy. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon and set it aside, but keep that fat in the pan. That is your liquid gold flavor base.
3. The Shrimp Sear
Crank the heat to medium-high. Toss your shrimp with the Tiger Life seasoning and smoked paprika. Sear them in the pancetta fat for about 60 seconds per side. The Cue: You’ll smell the spices toast instantly. They should be bright orange and just shy of fully cooked. Pull them out and set them aside.
4. Build the Alfredo
Drop the heat back to medium. Add the butter and sauté the garlic for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up the flavorful brown bits (the fond) left by the shrimp. Let the wine reduce by half, then pour in the heavy cream and a pinch of paprika. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until it turns a deep, sunset orange.
5. The Velvet Finish
Turn the heat all the way off. Gradually whisk in the Parmesan cheese until the sauce is glossy. Toss the shrimp and their juices back into the pan just to coat them in that orange lava.
6. Serving (The Artful Mound)
Place a massive, thick scoop of those Boursin grits in the center of a bowl. Stack the shrimp on top, then pour the Cajun Alfredo over everything. Hit it with a generous amount of chives and the crispy pancetta bits. Squeeze that charred lemon over the top right before you dive in.