A Charleston Awakening: Gulf Shrimp and Spring Onion Grits
Growing up in my grandmother's Atlanta kitchen, our shrimp and grits always relied on a heavy hand of smoked sausage and bacon for flavor. Don't get me wrong, I loved that smoky, porky richness, but when I moved to Charleston to train in fine dining, I had a culinary revelation. I wanted to create a version that truly celebrated the pure, sweet essence of Gulf shrimp and the bright bite of May spring onions. I remember standing at the prep station one morning, looking at a pile of discarded shrimp shells, and realizing they held the key to the ocean's depth. By simmering a quick, intense shrimp shell stock and emulsifying it with cold butter, finished with my signature splash of fish sauce for that deep umami, we get an incredibly luxurious, elevated brunch classic. It feels deeply rooted in my heritage yet completely refined. This recipe is special to me because it bridges my grandmother's soul-warming comfort with the precise techniques that shaped my career as a chef. To make it your own, try tossing in blistered cherry tomatoes or a pinch of Calabrian chili flakes for a little heat. Serve it over the absolute best stone-ground grits you can find, and always share it with someone you love.
Featured Recipe
Lowcountry Gulf Shrimp & Spring Onion Emulsion over Stone-Ground Grits
Growing up, our family's shrimp and grits always relied on a heavy hand of smoked meats for flavor. When I started cooking professionally, I wanted to create a version that truly celebrated the pure, sweet essence of Gulf shrimp and the bright bite of May spring onions. By simmering a quick, intense shrimp shell stock and emulsifying it with cold butter—finished with my signature splash of fish sauce for that deep umami—we get an incredibly luxurious, elevated brunch classic that feels deeply rooted yet completely refined.
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Timeline
Ingredients
- 1 lb Gulf shrimp (peeled, shells reserved)(Large, peeled and deveined. Keep the shells for the stock!)
- 6 cups water(Divided (4 cups for grits, 2 cups for stock))
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup stone-ground grits(Don't use quick or instant grits)
- 1 tsp kosher salt(Plus extra to taste)
- 2 tbsp olive oil(Divided)
- 2 garlic cloves(Smashed)
- 1 bunch spring onions(Washed, root ends trimmed)
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter(Very cold, cut into small cubes)
- 1 lemon(Juiced)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine(Something crisp like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio)
- 2 tbsp heavy cream(Acts as a stabilizer for our emulsion)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce(My secret for replacing heavy smoked meat umami)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper(Freshly cracked)
Instructions
- 1
In a heavy bottomed pot, bring 4 cups water and 1 cup whole milk to a rolling boil. Vigorously whisk in 1 cup stone-ground grits and 1 tsp kosher salt. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting.
5 min
Tip: Whisking constantly while pouring prevents lumps from forming in your grits.
- 2
In a separate saucepan over medium-high heat, toast the reserved shrimp shells with 1 tbsp olive oil and the 2 garlic cloves until the shells turn bright pink and fragrant. Pour in 2 cups water, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer.
20 min
Tip: Toasting the shells first releases their essential oils and builds incredible depth of flavor.
- 3
Cover the pot of grits and let them gently simmer. Uncover and stir well with a wooden spoon every 10 minutes until they are perfectly tender and creamy.
40 min
Tip: Stone-ground grits need patience. If they get too thick before they're tender, add a splash of warm water.
- 4
While the stock and grits simmer, slice the 1 bunch spring onions, keeping the white/light green parts separate from the dark green tops. Cut your 6 tbsp cold unsalted butter into cubes and keep in the fridge until needed. Juice the 1 lemon.
10 min
Tip: Keeping the butter fridge-cold is the crucial secret to a stable, glossy emulsion later.
- 5
Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and strain the shrimp stock, pressing on the shells to extract all the liquid. Discard the shells and garlic.
2 min
Tip: You should have about 1 cup of deeply flavored, golden stock.
- 6
In a large, wide skillet, heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the white and light green parts of the spring onions until just softened. Pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine and simmer rapidly until the wine is almost completely reduced (au sec).
5 min
Tip: Reducing the wine fully concentrates the acidity, which balances the richness of the butter sauce.
- 7
Pour the strained shrimp stock into the skillet with the aromatics. Turn the heat up to medium-high and simmer rapidly until the liquid is reduced by half.
5 min
- 8
Reduce the heat to your stove's lowest setting. Whisk in 2 tbsp heavy cream. Gradually add the cubed cold butter, one or two pieces at a time, whisking continuously. Wait for each addition to melt and emulsify before adding more. Once all butter is incorporated and the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon, whisk in 1 tbsp fish sauce and the lemon juice. Remove from heat.
5 min
Tip: If the sauce looks like it's breaking (separating into oil), remove it from the heat immediately and whisk in a teaspoon of cold water.
- 9
Return the skillet to very low heat. Gently nestle the 1 lb peeled Gulf shrimp into the warm emulsion. Cover the skillet and let the shrimp gently poach in the buttery sauce until just opaque and pink. Fold in half of the dark green spring onion tops.
5 min
Tip: Poaching the shrimp gently in the emulsion keeps them incredibly sweet and tender compared to hard-searing.
- 10
Give your finished grits one last vigorous stir. Spoon a generous base of grits into shallow bowls. Ladle the shrimp and emulsified pan sauce right over the center. Garnish with the remaining spring onion greens and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
3 min
Tip: Serve immediately while the emulsion is warm and perfectly unified.
Chef's Notes
Don't skip making the quick shrimp stock from the shells! That simmering step is what gives the emulsified sauce its profound, foundational depth. Emulsifying takes a bit of patience—keep your heat extremely low and whisk continuously so the cold butter melts into a creamy, stable sauce rather than separating into an oil slick. The fish sauce is my modern homage to the smoked meats we grew up with; it provides the savory baseline that balances the sweet shrimp.
Marcus Stone
Heritage recipes with a chef's touch
My grandmother's kitchen in Atlanta is where I learned that food carries history. Every pot of collards, every batch of biscuits, every Sunday roast told stories of resilience, family, and love. I went on to train at the finest restaurants in Charleston and worked my way up through white-tablecloth kitchens. But I always came back to those family recipes—now I cook them with a chef's technique but a grandmother's heart. Because the best food honors where it came from.