louisiana

this is amazing – louisiana shrimp and grits.

May 15, 2025 by Becky Spoon Leave a Comment

I had shrimp and grits for breakfast this morning. Yes, breakfast! I absolutely love it! In New Orleans, shrimp and grits is commonly found on breakfast menus, and it’s a meal I can’t say no to. The shrimp are perfectly seasoned and the grits are creamy and rich. It’s the perfect way to start your day. #ShrimpAndGrits #BreakfastOfChampions

This recipe for Louisiana Shrimp and Grits is from John Besh’s Cookbook “My New Orleans The Cookbook”. Great Cookbook. Here’s the link https://amzn.to/2WbKTr7.

What do you need for this recipe?

FOR THE GRITS:

White Stone-ground grits
butter
heavy cream
salt

FOR THE SHRIMP:

olive oil
jumbo Louisiana, gulf coast or other wild American shrimp, unpeeled
Basic Creole Spices
andouille sausage or other smoked sausage
garlic
onion
green bell pepper
red bell pepper
fresh thyme
Basic Shrimp Stock
butter
fresh lemon juice
heavy cream
chives or the tops of green onions plus a couple of whole green onions sliced for serving

BASIC CREOLE SPICES

celery salt
sweet paprika
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
cayenne pepper
ground allspice

A few years back, I attempted his recipe and it didn’t quite meet my expectations, probably due to a mistake on my part. However, I recently gave it another shot, meticulously adhering to his instructions, and the outcome was truly astonishing! This recipe is a fantastic rendition of the beloved New Orleans dish, boasting an absolutely delightful taste.

Making your own shrimp stock is crucial or buying high-quality seafood stock is necessary. The homemade shrimp stock enhances the richness, flavor, and depth of this dish. Prior to beginning your cooking, here is a recipe for shrimp stock: Basic Shrimp Stock

I had quick grits for breakfast, and they turned out well. However, I prefer longer-cooking stone ground grits and they are worth the extra time if you have . This recipe includes butter and mascarpone in the grits. Since I didn’t have mascarpone, I used cream cheese as a substitute. The grits tasted amazing! I might consider adding cream cheese to my grits in the future. Here’s a link to the stone ground grits:https://amzn.to/4cnzIRg

I like to buy the large head on shrimp because that is the best for making a rich stock. Not only do they make a better broth, they are actually about half price. When I’m cleaning the shrimp, I just remove the head portion, shell them and save for broth. I like to leave the tail because it prevents the shrimp from drawing up so much. I peel down to the last shell which holds the tail on. Then I cut a shallow slit down the back to devein and run under cold water. You always want to properly devein your shrimp.

Here’s another recipe I have from this cookbook, Barbecue Shrimp. It is amazing! https://the2spoons.com/love-this-easy-barbecue-shrimp/

awesome shrimp and grits.

You have to make this recipe soon! It is a favorite in our household! You need nothing more with this dish than a crusty French bread to sop up all the delicious juices in this dish.

Shrimp and Grits

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Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: cajun, creole

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

For the Grits

1 tsp salt
1 cup White Stone-ground grits
2 tbsp butter
splash of heavy cream

For the Shrimp

2 tbsp olive oil
24 jumbo Louisiana, gulf coast or other wild American shrimp, unpeeled
Basic Creole Spices **** Below****
1/3 cup minced andouille sausage or other smoked sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, minced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 cups Basic ShrimpStock (see my link below in links)
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
splash or two of heavy cream
chives or the tops of green onions plus a couple of whole green onions sliced for serving

Basic Creole Spices Makes 1/2 Cup

2 tbsp celery salt
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp coarse sea salt
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground allspice

Method

For the Grits

Bring 4 cups water with the salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Slowly stir in the grits, then reduce the heat to low; stir constantly to make sure the grits don't stick to the bottom. Simmer until all the water has been absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir in the butter and mascarpone or cream cheese. Remove the grits from the heat and place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface to keep a crust from forming.
For the shrimp, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Season the shrimp with Creole Spices and salt and sauté them in batches until they begin to brown but are not yet cooked all the way through; set aside.
In the same skillet, sauté the andouille or smoked sausage, garlic, onion, peppers, and thyme until they become aromatic, about 5 minutes. Add the Shrimp Stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in the butter and heavy cream and simmer until the sauce has thickened, 3–5 minutes.
Return the shrimp to the skillet and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and chives or just the green ends of the green onions thinly sliced. .
Divide the grits among the bowls. Arrange the shrimp in each bowl, spoon sauce around them, and garnish with sliced green onions. Enjoy!

Notes

Basic Shrimp Stock

Delicious! So Easy #1 Louisiana red beans and rice.

September 19, 2021 by Becky Spoon

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I love beans of any kind, but I especially love beans that have tons of flavor like Red Beans and Rice! These beans have are cooked with ham hocks, Andouille sausage, the holy trinity, onions, peppers and celery, along with traditional spices of Louisiana creole cuisine. Add some rice and you have a complete, so inexpensive hearty meal that has so many things that are good for you.

Delicious Red Beans and Rice

I served this with hot water cornbread. Have you heard of hot water cornbread? It’s a very southern cornbread that I grew up eating. It’s so easy and basically is a fried cornbread. Here’s just a really quick recipe:

Hot Water Cornbread

5 from 1 vote

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

2/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
boiling hot water
oil for frying

Method

Add enough peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil to a skillet to fry the cornbread. Heat to medium high. You don't want it hot, because the outside will brown before the inside is done.
Bring a cup of water to boil (you may not need all of it). Combine all the ingredients.
Pour the hot water a little at a time into the mixture until completely combined. Your dough will be soft enough to form a disc with your hands. Too much water and you won't be able to do that.
Take golf size balls from the dough and form into a disc or a cylinder shape. Gently add to the hot oil and fry until golden brown.

An alternative is my basic cornbread with bacon:1 of My Favorites, Easy – Basic Cornbread Recipe with Bacon

delicious! so easy Louisiana red beans and rice.

I love food from Louisiana, especially New Orleans. I’ve made these beans many times but this time I kind of followed John Besh’s recipe from his cookbook “My New Orleans”. It’s pretty much the same as I always make but because I love this book and his recipes from New Orleans, I felt I needed to try it! He doesn’t use Kielbasa and I used pork belly to render my pork fat. I think the addition of these things added to his recipe. You could use Andouille Sausage, but it’s a little harder to find.

Here’s the link for John Besh’s cookbook: https://amzn.to/2SHF6ar. This is a great cookbook but you have to follow the instructions and not improvise. I only say that because the first recipe I tried from his book, I thought I knew what I was doing and didn’t necessarily follow to a T. The result was a recipe I really didn’t like. Years later I picked the book up and tried the recipe again following his instructions completely, and I loved it!

Other methods to cook this delicious dish.

I have cooked the beans in my instant pot many times making this recipe. I have also made them in a slow cooker. I think the hint I would have about a slow cooker it doesn’t really thicken your broth much and I do like my bean broth to cook down and thicken a little. This is the Instant Pot I use for so many things: https://amzn.to/4hHQ7m3.

Simple, Delicious Red Beans and Rice

Here are a couple more recipes I’ve made from his book. this is amazing – louisiana shrimp and grits.

Ok, add this new recipe to your Louisiana cooking repertoire!

Red Beans and Rice

5 from 1 vote

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Servings: 6 servings

Course: Appetizer, dinner, easy side dish, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: cajun, creole

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

For the Beans

2 onions, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 tbsp rendered bacon fat (I used pork belly, you can use bacon or salt pork)
1 pound dried red kidney beans
2 smoked ham hocks
3 bay leaves
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 green onions, chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Tabasco
3 cups cooked Basic Louisiana White Rice (recipe follows)

For the Basic Louisiana White Rice

1 tbsp chicken fat, extra virgin olive oil or butter
1 small onion, minced
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
3 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1-2 pinches salt

Method

For the Red Beans

Sweat the onions, bell peppers, and celery in the rendered bacon fat in a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat.
Once the onions become translucent, add the kidney beans, ham hocks, bay leaves, and cayenne, then add water to cover by 2 inches.
Increase the heat and bring the water to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and allow the beans to slowly simmer for 2 hours. Periodically stir the beans to make sure that they don't scorch on the bottom of the pot, adding water if necessary, always keeping the beans covered by an inch or more of water.
Continue cooking the beans until they are creamy and beginning to fall apart when they're stirred.
Remove the ham hock meat from the bones, roughly chop it, and add it back to the pot of beans.
Stir in the green onions and season with salt, black pepper and Tabasco. Serve with the Basic White Rice.

For the Basic Louisiana White Rice

Put the fat, oil or butter and the onions into a medium saucepan and sweat the onions over moderate heat until they are translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour the rice into the pan and stir for 2 minutes. Then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and salt.
Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, fluff with a fork and serve.

Delicious Louisiana Seafood Gumbo

June 15, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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I love this Seafood Gumbo! My recipe has shrimp, sausage and crab! Oysters would be a great addition too. Okra? Yes, okra is great too. This recipe calls for okra, but it is delicious without okra if you have some that don’t like okra.

I actually love all the flavors of Louisiana, Louisiana Creole Cuisine and I especially love to go to New Orleans and taste those amazing flavors. Those folks can cook! Creole food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in New Orleans! Heavenly!

If you’ve attempted creole cooking, especially a gumbo you know it takes a while to develop flavors. The roux http://dish.allrecipes.com/how-to-make-roux does take a few minutes to get to the desired color, and you have to remember not to have your burner cranked to high because this roux can scorch easily and you’ll have to start over. Don’t skimp on time on this task because the darker the roux without burning the better flavor your gumbo will have.

You definitely don’t want to leave while you’re making your roux because a fairly constant stir is required. I cook mine on a medium-low until I am right there stirring constantly and I’ll increase the heat, then lower a little again. Do what suits you. I actually saw a jar of already made roux in the grocery store the other day. I’ve never tried it, but I think I will so I can report about the store bought roux.

You also need a really rich seafood stock for this dish. Just like I explained on my Shrimp & Grits recipe, a good, rich seafood stock is essential. Here is my Basic Shrimp Stock that I keep in freezer bags frozen until I need for the next dish. https://the2spoons.com/basic-shrimp-stock/. I actually keep many stocks in my freezer that are homemade, a good habit that would be well worth your time. Your Instant Pot is the perfect tool for making stocks in an hour that taste like you’ve cooked them for 8 hours.

Louisiana Seafood Gumbo

This is another recipe I got from John Besh’s Cookbook – “My New Orleans” the cookbook. Just like all good cooks, my recipe may have something a little different than his. Here goes, hope you enjoy and try this yummy recipe soon! You honestly don’t need anything to serve with this meal except for a loaf of crusty French Bread and some butter to slather on it! Yum!

A side note is that if I have a lot of the sauce leftover, I strain and freeze the leftover sauce for the next time I want to make gumbo.

Delicious Louisiana Seafood Gumbo

The best Seafood Gumbo! Rich and absolutely delicious, full of flavors from Louisiana.

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Servings: 10 servings

Course: Appetizer, dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: creole

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

For the Gumbo

1 cup canola oil
1 cup flour
2 large onions, diced
Besh's recipe called for 6 jumbo blue crabs, each cut into 4 pieces as the next ingredient. I did not have, so I omitted. Add if you like because they will add amazing flavor!
1 lb spicy smoked sausage links, sliced 1/2 inch thick (I used Slovacek's Bar-B-Que Seasoned Link Sausage
1 stalk celery, diced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sliced fresh okra ( leave out if you some that don't like okra)
3 qts Basic Seafood Stock

Basic Creole Spices

2 tbsp celery salt
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp coarse sea salt
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tsps cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground allspice

For the Basic Louisiana White Rice

1 tbsp chicken fat, extra-virgin olive oil, or butter
1 small onion, minced
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
3 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1-2 pinches salt

Method

For the Basic Creole Spices

Using this spice blend is truly the easiest way to consistently achieve the flavors of Louisiana. Once combined, the spices will last for six months in an airtight container. (this recipe is for several dishes, you'll just add in "pinches" to this recipe until you get your desired flavor.

For the Basic Louisiana White Rice

The recipe will work with most long-grain rices, including Popcorn Rice. Save some of the fat skimmed from your chicken stock to perfume the rice with many wonderful flavors.
Put the fat, oil, or butter and the onions into a medium saucepan and sweat the onions over moderate heat until they are translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour the rice into the pan and stir for 2 minutes. Then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and salt.
Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve

For the Gumbo

Make a roux by heating the oil in a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Whisk the flour into the hot oil. It will immediately begin to sizzle. Reduce the heat to moderate and continue whisking until the roux takes on a deep brown color, about 15 minutes. Add the onions, stirring them into the roux with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue stirring until the roux is a rich, dark brown, about 10 minutes.
Add the blue crabs (if you are using) and smoked sausage and stir for a minute before adding the celery, bell peppers, garlic, and okra. Increase the heat to moderate and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the thyme, Shellfish Stock, and bay leaves. Bring the gumbo to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally and skim off any fat from the surface of the gumbo.
Add the shrimp, oysters, crabmeat, and green onions to the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, Creole Spices, Worcestershire, and Tabasco to taste. I just add a little of these ingredients at a time, taste, then add more if needed. Serve in bowls over rice.

Another similar dish is my Shrimp & Grits:

Link on the Blog!