Shrimp and Cauliflower Grits

This recipe is a twist on the classic Shrimp and Grits! I was really craving a hearty comfort meal but thought using cauliflower instead of traditional grits would help lighten up the dish. It turned out delicious and is a meal I will definitely be making in the future! I wanted to add parsley as garnish but did not have any in the fridge so I used cilantro. Green onions would also make a good garnish!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 bags of TJ’s Cauliflower Rice

1 cup of Low Sodium Chicken Broth

¾ pound of Shrimp (21-30 Count, 5 to 6 shrimp per person)

½ to ¾ cup of Heavy Cream

½ White Onion

1 Red Pepper

2 Beefsteak Tomatoes

4 slices of Bacon

1 cup of Sharp Cheddar Cheese

2 tbsp of Butter

TJ’s Chili Lime Seasoning

Red Pepper Flakes

Parsley for Garnish

1. If the shrimp is frozen make sure it is completely thawed before starting. Marinate the shrimp with chili lime seasoning and 2 tbsp of olive oil for 15 to 30 minutes.

2. Heat a medium pan over medium heat. Cut bacon into small pieces and cook in the pan until crispy. You can also cook the bacon slices whole and then crumble after, but I like this technique because it is quicker and easier to crisp all the pieces.

3. While bacon is crisping prep the rest of the ingredients. Dice ½ of a white onion and a whole red pepper. Dice the beefsteak tomatoes into 1 inch pieces. If using a block of cheese grate until you have about 1 cup of cheese, already shredded cheese will work too.

4. Remove bacon and set on a plate with a paper towel to soak up the grease. Wipe the pan out and add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Heat over medium. Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes on each side until they are pink and opaque. Remove shrimp from the pan.

5. Heat 2 tbsp of butter in a medium to large pot over medium heat. Add bags of cauliflower rice and stir. Mix in 1 cup of chicken broth and ½ cup of heavy cream. Stir occasionally until mixture is bubbling and then reduce to low heat. Add about ¾ cup of the cheddar cheese (the rest is used to top the dish) and stir until combined. If the dish needs more liquid you can add the last ¼ cup of heavy cream.

6. In the same pan used for shrimp add the onion and peppers and saute over medium to high heat for 4 to 5 minutes until peppers are tender and onions are translucent. Add tomatoes and red pepper flakes and saute until tomatoes start to burst. Add shrimp back to the pan and warm.

7. To plate start with cauliflower grits and top with the onion, pepper, tomato and shrimp mixture. Top with bacon, a sprinkle of cheese and a green garnish! Enjoy!