Shrimp and Grits Kabob Party Platter (with video)

Shrimp and Grits Kabob Party Platter is the best of sea and field, with corn grits polenta squares, and spicy grilled shrimp, piled onto pick-up sticks!

Shrimp and Grits Kabob Party Platter Makes For A Great Addition To A Party Tapas Spread
Shrimp and Grits Kabob Party Platter Makes For A Great Addition To A Party Tapas Spread

Fresh Corn In Grits

Why serve dried-up corn meal when you can combine freshly shucked corn with the meal to bring the sweetness and moisture back into the grits with real corn!

Fresh Sun Ripened Sweet Summer Corn
Fresh Sun Ripened Sweet Summer Corn

Sure, in a hurry, I will delight in a huge pot of polenta or cornmeal cooked into a creamy, cheesy bowl of luscious Southern or Italian grits. 

But, I live in Maryland, surrounded by corn fields all summer long.

Why on earth wouldn’t I know how to make the best dang grits around! 

After having visited this lovely corn field and taking home a huge heap of fresh corn to grill, along with some shrimp, I got the idea to make Shrimp and Grits Kabobs!

Inspiration is everywhere!

Corn & Shrimp Kabobs
Corn & Shrimp Kabobs

Corn is naturally sweet and releases a kind of ‘milk’, which is why every season when the corn is young, I make Corn Ice Cream!

Corn Ice Cream With Blueberry Compote And Caramel Popcorn
Corn Ice Cream With Blueberry Compote And Caramel Popcorn

Shrimp On The Grill

Shrimp cooks in minutes. Actual, minutes.

So, why not use the time to prep shrimp with Maryland’s own Old Bay seasoning, put them on skewers (or grilling fish cages), and pop them on the Grill or stovetop griddle for five minutes!

The best cooked shrimp to serve with corn, as grits, is with a little smoke and a bit of crisp on its outer layer, not soft and soggy. 

Shrimp on the Grill - Cooks In 5-Minutes
Shrimp on the Grill – Cooks In 5-Minutes

Food On Kabob Sticks

Just so happens I come from a Mediterranean heritage in which lots of food items are cooked on sticks.

Then fast forward to my childrearing days and I found anything on sticks made eating fun for the kids and clean up easy for me.

For this reason, I have created lots of fun food ideas on sticks.

Kabobs Come In Many Forms!
Kabobs Come In Many Forms!
  • Kofta Kabobs – lamb and spices packed around a kabob stick, something I had the chance to prepare on Guy’s Grocery Games.
  • Pizza Kabobs – again, why not! Meatballs or vegan balls, cheeses, cherry tomatoes and herbs on a stick.

Shrimp From Various Parts Of The World

Some of the best shrimp dishes I have had in my life were while living in Brazil.

Along the coast of Brazil, in the town of Joao Pessoa, shrimpers walk out into the water with nets to hauled in the shrimp.

Once the shrimp was brought in, they are tossed onto a horse drawn cart; like something from a movie.

The freshly caught shrimp was brought right up to the restaurant, where I was sitting, to be prepared in so many delicious ways. 

Shrimping in Joao Pessoa Brasil
Shrimping in Joao Pessoa Brasil

Moqueca Brazilian Stew is usually made with shrimp, though any seafood or fish is used in it.

It was first made in the area of Bahia, combining both African and Portuguese cuisines, though mostly African. 

Moqueca Brazilian Seafood Stew - The Same One I Made On The Great American Recipe On PBS
Moqueca Brazilian Seafood Stew – The Same One I Made On The Great American Recipe On PBS

Cheesy Grits With Shrimp

I am always tickled when I hear a chef state that cheese and seafood don’t go together. Really?

Professional, particularly TV celebrity chefs, often tell you, ‘never seafood and cheese’.

Hah, wrong!

My Sassy Response To Making Mac and Cheese Crab Rolls!
My Sassy Response To Making Mac and Cheese Crab Rolls!

In fact, I competed on a Food Network’s show, Clash of the Grandmas, and for one round I made Mac and Cheese Crab Rolls’, rolled in phyllo dough. It was totally a hit with all three judges!

Visual Storytelling Is My Favorite Form Of Art - Something I've Done Numerous Times On National Television!
Visual Storytelling Is My Favorite Form Of Art – Something I’ve Done Numerous Times On National Television!

I have often seen professional chefs need to add cream to the grits when simmering them. This is because the cornmeal is dry.

When you add an equal balance of freshly grated corn to the cornmeal, there is no need for cream. The corn has a creamy milk of its own. 

Kabobs On A Platter Make For The Best Party Food

My rendition of grits for this dish, which allows for the grits to be firm enough to serve on kabob sticks, will take on the density of an Italian Polenta.

Creamy undertones of rich sheep’s milk cheese, served firm, rather than soupy grits, as grits are sometimes served.

Add to that, shrimp cooked on the grill, then skewed on kabob sticks along with the cubes of grits, I can’t think of a classier kabob! 

And if a Shrimp and Grits Kabob is not your thing, you can always stick to a Classic presentation of cheesy grits in a tapas size bowl, or martini glass, and the shrimp laid across the top.

Two Ways To Serve Shrimp and Grits on a Skewer
Two Ways To Serve Shrimp and Grits on a Skewer

Ingredients Needed

  • Corn Meal
  • Water
  • Freshly shucked corn
  • Garlic
  • Salt
  • Butter
  • Grated Cheese
  • Shrimp
  • Olive oil
  • Old Bay seasoning
Easy Cheesy Grits Ingredients - Also Known As Polenta
Easy Cheesy Grits Ingredients – Also Known As Polenta

Equipment Needed

  • Saute pot
  • Wooden spoon
  • Cutting board
  • Chopping knife
  • Grill or stove top griddle
  • Skewers or Kabob sticks
  • Measuring cup
  • Measuring spoons
  • Mixing bowl
  • Stovetop or burner
  • Grill of Griddle
Steel Kabob Sticks For Grilling Shrimp
Steel Kabob Sticks For Grilling Shrimp
Shrimp and Grits Kabob Party Platter

Shrimp and Grits Kabob Party Platter

Cheesy field fresh corn grits, grilled Old Bay seasoning shrimp served as classy kabobs.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Tapas
Cuisine: American Fusion
Keyword: Shrimp and Grit Kabob Party Platter
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
chill: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

  • Medium saucepan with lid
  • Square baking dish or pan
  • 12 Appetizer kabob sticks
  • 4 Stainless kabob sticks for grilling

Ingredients

  • Grits Ingredients can be made a day in advance
  • 1 cup Corn meal
  • 3 cups Water
  • 1 cup Freshly shucked corn
  • 2 Garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 1/2 tsp Salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 3/4 cup Grated Cheese Pecorino Romano Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano
  • Shrimp Ingredients
  • 1 lb Shrimp shelled and deveined
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning or favorite
  • 1 tsp Salt

Instructions

  • Grits Preparation – Place the freshly shucked corn into the food processor and puree it until it is creamy.
  • Place the pureed corn and corn meal into a pot with water, garlic and salt. Bring to a boil, lower, and cook low and slow for about 20 minutes, stirring often.
  • Add butter and cheese, stir continuously for another 10 minutes, covered.
    Transfer to a square pan or baking dish, press smooth and chill in the fridge for 30-minutes or overnight.
  • Shrimp Preparation – Prepare grill for cooking the shrimp, or have a cast iron grill pan, hot on top of the stove.
  • In a bowl, toss the shrimp with the oil and seasoning. Place the shrimp on skewer sticks. (Can be prepared in advance and kept cold in the fridge, brought to room temperature 30 minutes before grilling).
  • On a hot grill, cook quickly on each side until the color changes to a bright pink/orange, about 5-minutes.
  • Assembly – There are two ways to present this recipe: Place the cooked grits in small serving bowls, or martini glasses and place a short or long skewer stick of grilled shrimp across it.
  • Or – Cut the firm and chilled corn grits, otherwise known as polenta, into squares, uniformly cut the size of the body of the shrimp.
    Place the squares of grits and shrimp on kabob sticks and serve on a platter, tapas style.

Video

Shrimp and Grits Kabob Party Platter
Shrimp and Grits Kabob Party Platter
Robin
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