Prawns and grits
Creamy, cheesy grits topped with spiced prawns and a lemony butter sauce — a soulful, quick-ish supper for four.
This is my take on the Southern classic — ultra-creamy grits bolstered with cheddar, topped by quick, lemony prawns. It’s indulgent without being fussy, and perfect for a cosy weekend supper.
Make the grits gently and treat the prawns like royalty: a brief sear and they’re done. Ready from fridge to table in under an hour (including a short 15-minute marinade).
Ingredients
- 500 g raw prawns, peeled and deveined
- 200 g stone-ground grits
- 900 ml vegetable stock
- 200 ml full-fat milk
- 50 ml double cream
- 100 g mature cheddar, grated
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 30 ml olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves — minced
- 1 lemon — zest and juice
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 0 ml cayenne pepper — optional
- 5 ml cornflour — for slurry
- sea salt — to taste
- black pepper — to taste
- 2 spring onions — finely sliced
- 15 g fresh parsley — chopped
Instructions
Make a quick marinade: in a bowl combine smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, the juice and half the zest of the lemon, 1 tbsp olive oil, a generous pinch of sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Toss the prawns in the marinade to coat, cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
While the prawns rest, bring the vegetable stock and full-fat milk to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in the stone-ground grits, reduce to a low simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring every 2–3 minutes to stop sticking, until thick and creamy (about 20–25 minutes).
When the grits are tender, remove from the heat and stir through unsalted butter, double cream and most of the grated cheddar until melted and glossy. Taste and season with sea salt and black pepper. Keep covered and warm.
Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and 25 g of the butter in a frying pan over a medium-high hob. Add the garlic and most of the spring onions and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the marinated prawns in a single layer and cook 2–3 minutes per side until just pink and opaque.
Pour about 100 ml vegetable stock into the pan to deglaze, squeeze in the remaining lemon juice and whisk the cornflour into 1 tbsp cold water then add to the pan. Simmer for 1 minute until the sauce thickens slightly, then stir in the remaining grated cheddar off the heat.
Divide the grits between warmed bowls, top with the saucy prawns and drizzle any pan juices over. Scatter with the remaining spring onions, chopped fresh parsley and the remaining lemon zest. Serve immediately.
Tips
- Use stone-ground grits where possible for texture; if unavailable use coarse polenta and cook until tender.
- Stir the grits frequently and keep the heat low to avoid a lumpy or scorched pot.
- If you want a looser finish, reserve a little extra hot stock and stir through at the end rather than adding all the cream.
- Cook prawns in a single layer and don’t walk away — they go from perfect to rubbery in moments.
- Make ahead: cook grits, cool, then reheat gently with a splash of milk or stock; add cheese and butter just before serving.
Substitutions
stone-ground grits → coarse polenta, same weight (200 g)
Stays closemature cheddar, grated → Parmesan or pecorino, 80 g (stronger, saltier finish)
Noticeably differentvegetable stock → fish stock, same volume (adds more seafood depth)
Stays closedouble cream → extra milk, 100 ml (less rich, looser texture)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 635
- Calories
- 38 g
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 35 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use frozen prawns?
Yes — thaw thoroughly, pat dry with kitchen paper and proceed. Frozen prawns often hold more water, so drying well prevents steaming instead of searing.
How can I make this dairy-free?
Use a dairy-free spread instead of butter, swap double cream for a creamy plant alternative, and omit or use a dairy-free cheese—but flavour and silkiness will be reduced.
Are grits the same as polenta?
They’re similar — both are ground corn. Stone-ground grits are a little coarser and more traditional; coarse polenta is the best readily available substitute.
Can I make the grits ahead?
Yes. Cook, cool, then refrigerate. Reheat gently with a splash of stock or milk and stir in butter, cream and cheese just before serving.
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