It is not every day that you get the chance to make a Michelin grade meal in your home and in just fifteen minutes. Today is that day as an award-winning chef has shared his recipe for popcorn grits.
To those outside the southern states of the USA, grits may be a strange word. The dish is a key part of Southern cuisine. What started as a humble breakfast dish is now used in many fine-dining restaurants around the world. The dish dates back all the way to Native Americans. The word grits come from the old English word gryts which was used to refer to any meal of coarse ground grain that was commonly eaten by Native Americans.
Grits are traditionally made from corn kernels that have been ground up. If you are familiar with polenta this is basically an Italian version of grits although the texture is very different as polenta is made from cornmeal. Grits works well as a meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All you need to do is boil lots of water (a ratio of 5:1 of your corn), add some salt, and slow cook for 45 minutes, stirring constantly. What comes out will look kind of like porridge but again, a very different texture.
However, recently a Michelin grade chef shared his twist on this age-old recipe using shrimp. However, shrimp in grits is not an original idea. It is a common combination that is simply delicious. To create the fine dining experience you need to brave a change the key ingredient itself. Instead of corn kernels, the chef decided to introduce already popped popcorn. This sounded tricky to us but when we tried it all worked out fine. All you need is some heavy cream and slowly reduce the popcorn with the cream. If you like once this process is complete you can pass the popcorn and cream through a sieve but we recommend not doing this. Part of the appeal of using popcorn will be the chunky textures it provides. Isn’t that why we all love popcorn in the first place? Aside from that you just need to worry about the rest of the dish. Saute some shrimp in a mixture of butter, garlic, and your favorite seasoning. Our Michelin chef suggests a last-second glaze with Pernod to ensure a rich and complex taste.
While this dish may sound a little complicated if you are new to grits and certainly new to popcorn grits, it is very simple. The entire process will take around 15 minutes to make and will surprise everyone in your household.
To make a meal for two you will need the following ingredients:
- 225 grams of shrimp
- 10 cups of popcorn, already popped
- 1.5 cups of cream, the heavier the better
- A single garlic clove (We know you want to put in more, we all love garlic, but restrain yourself)
- Your favorite seasoning
- Some cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- And a handful of scallions, thinly sliced
- Pernod or if you are not feeling fancy, a squeeze of lemon
We have added some cheese and scallions here to the ingredients because they will make this dish really come alive. Before you glaze with the Pernod we recommend shredding some cheese on top. Add some scallions at the end to add a little color to the meal.
There you have it. The simplest and most impressive meal you can make in just 15 minutes. Whether you are trying to impress during a first date or want to change the menu after years of the same meal. This popcorn grits recipe is sure to leave everyone asking for more.
