Shrimp and Quinoa (Instead of Grits)

I love quinoa and so does my two and a half year old. If you have not tried it yet, do so soon!

I am lucky enough to live in the low country where shrimp and grits is easy to come by. It is made differently depending on where you go. I had a version of shrimp and quinoa at a restaurant and it was delicious! I wanted to make it at home one day but I could not find a recipe for it anywhere so I decided to come up with my own. I measure most things with my eyes and do a lot of taste testing so don't take my measurements too seriously.  Don't plan on having leftovers!

* 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
* juice of 1 lemon
* hot sauce
* salt
* pepper
* 1 cups quinoa
* 4 cups chicken stock
* 6 thick slices bacon, chopped
* 1 small onion, finely chopped
* 1 green bell pepper, chopped
* 3 garlic cloves (but we love garlic), minced
* 2 scallions
* 2 tablespoons flour
* 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* ½ cup (or however much you want) Asiago cheese
* chives

Preparation
· Combine the shrimp with the lemon juice and a couple of generous splashes of hot pepper sauce. Let sit while you work on everything else.

· Make the quinoa according to package instructions. Usually 1 cup of quinoa and 1½ cups chicken stock. I cook the quinoa in olive oil for a minute or two before adding the stock.
· While the quinoa simmers, fry the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until brown but still limp. Stir in the onion, green pepper, and garlic and continue cooking until the onion and pepper are soft but still have a bite to them, about 5 minutes.

 Add the scallions, sprinkle the flour over the mixture, and continue sautéing for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the stock and salt and pepper to taste and cook for 5 minutes longer. Remove from the heat while you finish the quinoa.
· When the quinoa is translucent, stir in as much butter as you like, followed by the cheese. Add a splash of hot pepper sauce and additional salt if you like.
· Return the gravy to medium heat and stir in the shrimp.

 Cook until the shrimp are opaque throughout, about 5 minutes.

Serve immediately, mounding the quinoa in large shallow bowls or on plates and covering them with shrimp and gravy. Top with chives and enjoy!

And this is what it looks like at the end of dinner!

Did you make this recipe?  I would love to hear what you think! Pin It