Larry Goodine’s Low Country Seafood Grits Recipe

Southern So-Fish-Tication

Every good home cook has a few recipes in their arsenal for fish and seafood lovers. The right meal can make for an elevated date night in or impress the pickiest of pescatarian eaters. With coastal flavors that incorporate a Southern spin, these dishes are off the hook!

Photography by Rich Smith

“Low country seafood grits is a Bahamian, Cuban, and Geechee-inspired comfort seafood dish. The body of the dish is derived from my mother’s and father’s heritage. My mother’s passion for creating delicious soulful food gave me the love I have for playing in the kitchen. I absolutely love sharing the very same passion with my three beautiful children – Tallon, Cecilia, and Canyon. Sharing recipes and memories in the kitchen is therapeutic, and you can taste the love I put in every dish.”

Low Country Seafood Grits

Larry Goodine

Print Recipe

Course Main Course

Cuisine bahamian, cuban, geechee, Seafood, Southern

Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

2 tsp. olive oil
1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ scallion, diced
2 tsp. fresh garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. green onion, thinly sliced
1 (8 oz.) Chilean seabass fillet
Cumin, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Pink Himalayan salt, to taste
½ tsp. black truffle, coarsely chopped for garnish

For the grits:

1 cup stone-ground grits
2 sticks butter, divided
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 oz. gouda cheese, diced

For the etoufee:

½ stick butter
½ tsp. drunken mustard
½ cup celery, diced
½ cup green onion, diced
½ cup green bell pepper, diced
½ cup white onion, diced
8 oz. tomato paste
1 cup vegetable stock
3 large shrimp, tail on
½ cup mussels, shucked

Instructions

To make grits, bring 4 cups of water to a boil and saltwater. Melt ½ stick of butter in the water and add grits. Stir continuously to prevent lumping. Once grits are firm, remove from heat and add 1½ stick of butter, heavy cream, and gouda. Stir to combine.
Add olive oil, orange and red bell pepper, scallion, garlic, and 3 tablespoons of green onion to a hot pan and sauté. Set aside.
To make the etouffee, melt ½ stick of butter in a pot. Add mustard, celery, ½ cup diced green onion, green bell pepper, and white onion and sauté until softened. Add in tomato paste and cook for an additional minute before adding in vegetable stock. Stir to combine and bring to a boil before reducing to a simmer. Simmer mixture for 20 minutes before adding shrimp and mussels and then simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
Season seabass fillets with cumin, black pepper, and pinkHimalayan salt to taste. Grill until cooked through.
To serve, add a base of grits to a plate and top with sautéed vegetables, followed by the fish fillet. Ladle etouffee over top and garnish with chopped black truffle.

Keyword grits, low country, mussels, seabass, Seafood, shrimp