With three of our best-loved foods wrapped up in one package, we can’t get enough of these cheesy cakes.
Fried Shrimp and Pimiento Cheese Grits Cakes
Serves: 12
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cooked
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups quick-cooking grits*
- 1½ cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 (7-ounce) jar diced pimientos, drained
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup plain yellow cornmeal
- Pimiento Cheese (recipe follows)
- PIMIENTO CHEESE
- 3 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 (7-ounce) jar diced pimientos, drained
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Line a 13×9-inch baking pan with heavy-duty foil, letting excess extend over sides of pan; spray foil with cooking spray.
- Refrigerate 12 shrimp in a small bowl; chop remaining shrimp.
- In a large Dutch oven, bring 4 cups water, broth, 2 teaspoons salt, onion powder, hot sauce, and pepper to a boil over medium-high heat. Slowly whisk in grits until well combined. Reduce heat, and simmer until grits are tender and thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and stir in chopped shrimp, cheese, pimientos, cream, butter, and thyme, until cheese is melted. Spread into prepared pan; let cool slightly.
- Gently press reserved 12 shrimp into top of grits mixture, evenly spaced apart. Cover with plastic wrap, leaving corners slightly open to vent. Refrigerate until cold and firm, about 8 hours.
- Using excess foil as handles, remove from pan, and peel foil from sides of grits. Using a serrated knife, cut into 12 portions.
- In a large deep cast-iron skillet, pour oil to a depth of ½ inch, and heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 360° (adjust heat to medium, if necessary).
- In a shallow dish, whisk together flour, cornmeal, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Dredge cakes in flour mixture, shaking off excess.
- Fry cakes in batches (do not overcrowd skillet), until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove cakes using a slotted spoon, and let drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with Pimiento Cheese.
PIMIENTO CHEESE
- In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Notes
*We used Lakeside Yellow Grits.
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