Southern-Style Bacony Shrimp over Grits

🥘 Ingredients

• bacon
  4 strips
• blackening spices
  1 unit
• butter
  1 tbsp
• chicken stock concentrate
  1 unit
• cooking oil
  1 tbsp
• corn
  1 ear
• cream sauce base
  1 unit
• garlic powder
  1 tsp
• precooked polenta
  1 unit
• scallions
  2 unit
• shrimp
  12 oz
• tomato
  1 unit
• water
  ¼ cup
• white cheddar cheese
  ½ cup

🍳 Cookware

• small pot
• large pan
• small bowl

1. 

   1

   Wash and dry all produce. Drain corn and pat dry with paper towels. Trim and thinly slice scallions , separating whites from greens. Dice tomato into ½-inch pieces.

   corn: 1 ear, scallions: 2 unit, tomato: 1 unit
2. 

   2

   In a small pot , combine precooked polenta , chicken stock concentrate , half the garlic powder , and water over medium heat. Cook, mashing with a potato masher or fork, until mostly smooth and warmed through ⏱️ 2 minutes . Remove from heat and cover until ready to use.

   precooked polenta: 1 unit, chicken stock concentrate: 1 unit, garlic powder: 1 tsp, water: ¼ cup
3. 

   3

   Heat a drizzle of cooking oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred ⏱️ 4 minutes . If corn begins to pop, cover the pan. Reduce heat to medium; stir in scallion whites, remaining garlic powder, butter , salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until fragrant ⏱️ 1 minute . Turn off heat; transfer to a small bowl and cover with aluminum foil. Wipe out the pan.

   cooking oil: 1 tbsp, butter: 1 tbsp
4. 

   4

   Cut bacon into ½-inch pieces. Heat the same pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crispy ⏱️ 5 minutes . Meanwhile, rinse shrimp under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Once bacon is crispy, add shrimp and blackening spices to the pan. Cook, stirring, until shrimp are opaque and cooked through ⏱️ 4 minutes . Add a drizzle of oil if the pan seems dry. Stir in tomato and cook until warmed through ⏱️ 30 seconds . Taste and season with salt if desired. Remove from heat and cover until ready to serve.

   bacon: 4 strips, shrimp: 12 oz, blackening spices: 1 unit
5. 

   5

   Return the pot with warmed grits to medium heat. Stir in cream sauce base and white cheddar cheese until melted and combined ⏱️ 1 minute . Season with salt and pepper to taste. Grits will thicken as they cool.

   cream sauce base: 1 unit, white cheddar cheese: ½ cup
6. 

   6

   Divide the cheesy grits between bowls. Top with the charred corn and bacony shrimp. Garnish with scallion greens and serve.