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Blackened Salmon with Shrimp & White Cheddar Grits

Cajun seasoned, moist blackened salmon served alongside perfectly cooked shrimp in a rich, tomato and cream-based sauce over a bed of creamy, melt in your mouth white cheddar grits.
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

For the salmon

  • 1 pound of fresh Atlantic salmon cut into equal portions
  • Season to taste with salt cajun seasoning, and or Asili Glam Blend from Brown Girl Spice Box

For the shrimp

  • 1 lb of large shrimp with the tail on
  • Season to taste with Cajun seasoning and or Asili Glam Blend from Brown Girl Spice Box

For the grits

  • 1 cup of old fashioned grits
  • 5 cups of liquid half vegetable stock, half regular milk
  • Plus more milk to loosen the grits as they slowly cook
  • 1 tbsp of butter
  • Season with a tsp of salt pepper, cajun seasoning, and chicken bouillon)
  • 2 cups of good quality shredded cheese white Vermont cheddar & Mexican cheese blend

For the sauce

  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 3 stalks of celery finely chopped
  • 1 tsp of garlic paste or 2 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped
  • 1 tsp of parsley paste or fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tbsp of tomato paste
  • 1 can of Rotel diced tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup of dry white wine or cooking wine
  • 1/2 cup of vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup of heavy cream or milk
  • 1 tbsp of butter
  • Parmesan cheese to taste
  • Season with salt pepper, cajun seasoning, and Brown Girl Spice Herb De Provence to taste
  • Bouillon cube *optional

Other

  • Chopped Bacon
  • Rendered bacon fat
  • Fresh scallions to serve
  • Parmesan cheese to serve

Instructions

  • For Grits 
  • Add liquid to a heavy bottom saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and bring to a simmer on medium heat 
  • Once simmering, add seasoning and butter & whisk
  • Slowly add grits and whisk as you go
  • Turn heat all the way to low, cover with the lid and cook for 40 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. 
  • After 40 minutes add the cheese slowly and mix until melted
  • Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly 
  • Cover with the lid to keep warm 
  • *Add a splash of milk every 15 minutes or so if grits are tightening up you as it cooks 
  • For salmon
  • Season salmon and sear in rendered bacon fat and 1 tbsp of butter in a cast-iron skillet
  • Sear on medium heat, flesh side down for 5-6 minutes per side 
  • On skin side down baste salmon with butter in the pan
  • After a total of 12 minutes, remove salmon from pan and allow it to rest 
  • If you like your salmon more well-done cook for an additional 6 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees 
  • For shrimp
  • Season shrimp and sauté in the same pan you use for the bacon and salmon 
  • Sauté on each side for 2 minutes and remove from the heat and set aside 
  • For sauce 
  • Sauté onions and celery in a skillet with rendered bacon fat. Cook until soft, about 5-6 minutes on medium heat 
  • Once soft, add tomato paste and continue cooking and stirring for another 2 minutes 
  • Add diced tomatoes, garlic, and parsley 
  • Add white wine to deglaze pan and stir 
  • Then add broth and bring to a simmer 
  • Season sauce to taste 
  • Add milk and stir and cover with a tight-fitting lid for 10 minutes, stirring again after 5 minutes 
  • Add butter and Parmesan cheese to the sauce mix and then add shrimp back in 
  • Simmer on medium-low with shrimp for 2 minutes, then remove from heat 
  • Taste sauce for seasoning and adjust if needed 
  • If too spicy add a pinch of brown sugar to balance 
  • To Serve 
  • Add grits to the bottom of a plate and top with shrimp and sauce and a piece of salmon. Drizzle more sauce over the salmon 
  • Top with fresh scallions and crumbled bacon
  • Add Parmesan cheese to take it over the top 

Notes

This slower method of cooking grits yields a very creamy and non-gritty texture. The process is very hands-on. You will need to stir every 15 minutes vigorously and add liquid as needed to keep the consistency loose. The grits should be thick and creamy at the end of the cooking process and not clumpy and overly thick. Adding the grits a little at a time, in the beginning, will help with avoiding clumps, and adding more liquid as you cook helps with the consistency. Stay patient and you will have perfect grits every time. You must use old fashioned grits and not the quick grits for this method.