Cajun Shrimp with Cheesy Garlic Caulirice
Recipe by Mandy Pagano
Recipe originally published on KetovangelistKitchen.com on 3/5/21. It has been lightly edited for re-publication.
It's Good Friday, and this fantastic take on Cajun-style shrimp and grits is the last of my Lenten Friday offerings for this season. I don't dare to actually call it grits, or even faux-grits, mainly because much as I enjoy caulirice, as I've mentioned before it's really just not the same as grits at all. Even though I think the garlicky-cheesy flavor here is excellent, and really does mask any lingering cauliflower taste, the texture is still caulirice.
But, it's certainly close enough that it hits the same spot. And, funnily enough, my husband noted that he tends to find caulirice kind-of bland, and that this dish was not even remotely bland and it did remind him of real grits. I'm too much of a purist to concede the gritty point, but hubby says it's a keeper, and I won't argue with that!
Notes: If you're having trouble finding a clean Cajun seasoning, check out Select Savory Seasonings Cajun blend.
[tasty-recipe id="3000"]
Ingredients
- 1 lb (16 oz/ 454 g) small shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined, tail off, and dried
- 6 tbsp (3 oz/ 369 g) butter, salted, divided
- 1 tsp your favorite (sugar- and starch-free) Cajun seasoning
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 oz (43 g) onion, finely diced
- 20 oz (567 g) frozen riced cauliflower
- 1 tsp Seasoned Salt, or your favorite salt blend
- 1 small can (4 oz/ 113 g) diced green chilies, undrained
- 1/2 c (4 fl oz/ 118 ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp glucomannan powder
- 4 oz (113 g) cheddar cheese, shredded
- a little chopped or dried parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- In a large skillet, melt half of the butter over medium-high heat.
- Once the butter has come up to temperature, add the cleaned shrimp to the skillet and cook until just pink and translucent. Seafood cooks fast, so this will take only a few minutes.
- When the shrimp just begins to look done, sprinkle with the Cajun seasoning, give it another good stir for a minute, then transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the rest of the butter and turn the heat down to medium. Be sure to scrape up any seasonings left in the bottom of the pan so it mixes with the melting butter and doesn't burn.
- Add the onion and garlic to the skillet as soon as the butter is melted and up to temperature, and sauté until the onion is translucent and softening.
- Stir in the frozen cauliflower rice and Seasoned Salt, making sure to break up any chunks as it cooks.
- Cook the caulirice mixture for five minutes, then add in the green chilies and continue to cook another 3-4 minutes until the cauliflower is mostly cooked through and the majority of the liquid in the pan has evaporated.
- Sprinkle the glucomannan over the heavy cream while whisking vigorously, then pour it directly into the pan with the caulirice.
- Let cook another minute or two to thicken, stirring constantly.
- Stir in the cheese to melt, then stir in the reserved Cajun shrimp to heat through, another minute or two, maximum.
- Remove from the heat immediately, garnish with parsley, and serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
- Calories: 352.5 cal
- Fat: 25.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 2.9 g
- Net Carbs [total carbs - (fiber + sugar alcohol)] : 5.1 g
- Protein: 25.7 g
