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Shrimp and Grits

Name: Shrimp and Grits
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 1 cup stone-ground grits; 4 cups water; 3 tbsp butter; 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded; 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 6 oz andouille sausage, sliced; 4 strips bacon; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 3 green onions, sliced; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tsp hot sauce; salt to taste; 1/4 tsp black pepper

Shrimp and Grits reads richness 7.1, umami 6.8 and salinity 5.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Southern main, about 45 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 7.9 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 1.3 / 10
Sour & Bright — 5.6 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 4.6 / 10
Rich & Fat — 7.5 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 3.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 7.1 · Umami 6.8 · Salinity 5.5 · Citrus 4.4 · Smoke 4.2 · Sourness 4.0 · Allium 3.2 · Marine & Briny 3.1 · Heat 2.6 · Warm Spice 2.4 · Funk & Ferment 1.6 · Herbaceous 1.5 · Nutty 1.3 · Earthy 1.2 · Bitterness 1.1 · Sweetness 1.0 · Fruity 0.9

What's in it (13)

1 cup stone-ground grits
4 cups water
3 tbsp butter
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 oz andouille sausage, sliced
4 strips bacon
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, sliced
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp hot sauce
salt to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper

Time & effort: about 45 min (30 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 100.4 kcal, 5.5 g protein, 4.5 g fat, 9.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (3 steps)

Cook grits in liquid with butter and salt until thick and creamy, then stir in shredded cheddar.
Render diced bacon, add sliced sausage and garlic, then toss in shrimp and cook just until pink.
Finish with a splash of lemon juice and hot sauce, then spoon the shrimp mixture over the grits and top with sliced green onions.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Breakfast Shrimp over Stone-Ground Grits — Southern · Lowcountry
Salmon Chowder with Dill and Potatoes — American
Shrimp and Cheddar Grits — Cajun/Creole · Creole
Crispy Salmon Cakes with Lemon Aioli — American
Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad — American

Keep reading: what richness, umami, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.