As the last few moments of Mardi Gras tick down, I want to pay homage to the Crescent City with a spin on one of my creole faves! If Charleston and New Orleans had a baby, I swear this is what it would it be or at least taste like, lol!
Buttery grits topped with succulent shrimp and crabmeat swimming in a rich creole gravy, what more could you want from a Gourmet Mommie original? This recipe is packed with tons of flavor and is sure to be one you'll want to add to your regular rotation.
Ingredients
Quick Grits (enough to feed your family)
1 stick, unsalted butter, divided
1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 cup diced yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 cup sliced Portobello Mushrooms
2 tablespoons Minced Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Tablespoon Garlic Pepper
1-2 Teaspoons Creole Seasoning (measure with your heart)
2 cups Chicken or Seafood Stock
2-3 medium Roma tomatoes, large dice
1/2 pound Extra Large Shrimp
1 pound Lump Crabmeat
1/4 cup White Wine
Step 1: Make the Grits
Prepare the grits according to the ratio for water versus quick grits on the package. Note: I have a family of 4 so I use 4 cups of water to 1 cup of quick grits. (see picture for reference).
Bring the water to a boil BEFORE adding in the grits. Pour in the grits while you are stirring to prevent lumps.
Add 2-3 tbls of butter (optional) and salt to taste. Stir, reduce heat to low and cover.
Simmer grits of low heat until thickened. (Note: If the grits get too stiff, you can add more water 1/4 cup at a time until desired consistency is reached. If your grits are too watery, cook them longer until the water evaporates)
Set grits aside while preparing the sauce.
Step 2: Make the Sauce
Make a peanut butter roux using 1/2 stick of butter and 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour. Cook the flour until it becomes the color of peanut butter or caramel (see blog on Making Roux for tips on how to make a peanut butter roux).
Add bell peppers and red onions to the roux, cooking until the vegetables become tender and onions are translucent.
Add mushrooms to the pan and cook until they begin to soften.
Add all seasonings and garlic, sautéing for 5 mins more.
Add stock and cook until the sauce begins to simmer. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for about 1 minute.
6. Stir in the shrimp, crabmeat and white wine; continue to simmer until the sauce is thick and bubbly and the shrimp are pink.
7. Serve immediately over a bowl of hot grits and enjoy!
This Ponchartrain sauce is as my kids would say "bussin bussin"! I really loved the combination of the grits with the sauce, but if you are not a fan of grits, the traditional serving style for Ponchartrain sauce is over blackened fish or chicken and rice. Either way if you decided to give this a try, please comment and tag me @gourmetmommie in your post.
If you would like to see a video of how the recipe comes together, head over to my Instagram @gourmetmommie for a quick follow-along video.
Happy Mardi Gras!
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