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Andi Oliver’s Antiguan curry butter shrimp and grits

By: Andi Oliver

Andi Oliver takes classic shrimp and grits and incorporates other Caribbean flavours, like plaintain, coconut milk and a moreish curry butter.

Delicious things happen when prawns, spices and coconut get together. Try Chetna Makan’s hot and spicy coconut prawns next.

Andi Oliver takes classic shrimp and grits and incorporates other Caribbean flavours, like plaintain, coconut milk and a moreish curry butter.

Delicious things happen when prawns, spices and coconut get together. Try Chetna Makan’s hot and spicy coconut prawns next.

Ingredients

3 very ripe plantains, peeled and cut into 1.5cm slices
100ml rapeseed oil, plus 2 extra splashes
1 tbsp curry powder (ideally Caribbean or Jamaican)
Seeds from 10 green cardamom pods
1kg peeled and deveined sustainable Scottish langoustines, scampi or large prawns (see Know How)
800ml chicken stock, preferably fresh
1 tsp sea salt flakes (use ½ tsp if using stock cubes)
400ml can coconut milk
300g coarse cornmeal
60g unsalted butter
150ml fish stock
Juice ½ lime, plus extra wedges to serve

You’ll also need

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Fry the plantains in 100ml rapeseed oil over medium heat until golden – about 5 minutes per side. Add to a blender and whizz (or mash with a potato masher), then leave to one side.
Now bash the curry powder, cardamom seeds and a pinch of black pepper in a pestle and mortar. Put the shellfish in a bowl, then add the spices with a splash of oil and toss to coat. Marinate for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a deep pan, gently warm the chicken stock, salt and 300ml of the coconut milk over a medium heat. Once it starts to simmer, gradually add the cornmeal, stirring reasonably vigorously with a wooden spoon – we don’t want any lumps! Keep stirring until the cornmeal becomes tender (about 8 minutes). Tip in the mashed plantain and give it another good old stir so that the plantain runs all the way through the mix. Take off the heat, then beat in the last 100ml coconut milk.

Heat a heavy-based frying pan over high heat with a splash more oil. When it’s hot, tip in half the shellfish, fry until pink and golden-tinged (about 1-2 minutes), transfer to a plate and repeat with the rest.
Return all the shellfish to the pan, reduce the heat to medium-high, throw in the butter and fish stock and bubble for 2 minutes. Take off the heat, add the lime juice, check the seasoning and serve piled on top of the soft grits with extra lime wedges.

Nutrition: per serving

Don’t waste it: Treat leftover grits like cooked polenta. Shape into fritters and toss in dry cornmeal before frying for a crispy snack.
Sustainable langoustines can be bought peeled or in their shell. If peeling them at home, you’ll need about 3.5kg unpeeled weight – freeze the shells and use to flavour stock. Find langoustines fresh or frozen in larger supermarkets, at fishmongers or online.