Low-Country Skillet Shrimp with Bacon Collards and Sweet Potato Mash

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A one-skillet Southern supper built on smoky spice-rubbed shrimp, cider-splashed collard greens simmered with bacon, and a silky coconut-milk sweet potato mash that stands in for grits. Everything comes together in about 55 minutes with big smoke, tang and heat and no grains or dairy anywhere.

Ingredients

• 2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup full-fat canned coconut milk, warmed
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

• 4 slices no-sugar-added uncured bacon, chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 12 oz collard greens, stemmed and cut into 1-inch ribbons
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 1 1/4 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp sliced scallions

Instructions

1. Put the sweet potato chunks in a large saucepan, cover with cold water by 1 inch, add a big pinch of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a strong simmer and cook 15 to 18 minutes, until a fork slides through with no resistance.
2. While the potatoes cook, pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels. In a bowl, toss them with the smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried thyme, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper until evenly coated. Refrigerate until you are ready to cook.
3. Drain the sweet potatoes well and return them to the hot, dry pan for 30 seconds to steam off excess moisture. Add the warmed coconut milk, coconut oil, 1 teaspoon salt and the nutmeg, then mash until smooth. Cover and set aside off the heat.
4. Set a 12-inch cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp. Lift the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan.
5. Add the sliced onion to the bacon fat and cook 4 minutes over medium heat until softened and golden at the edges. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
6. Add the collard ribbons in batches, tossing until wilted, about 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, honey and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, until the greens are tender but still bright. Scrape the collards and their pan juices into a bowl and stir in the reserved bacon; cover to keep warm.
7. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel, return it to medium-high heat and add the avocado oil. When the oil shimmers, add the shrimp in a single layer without crowding (work in two batches if needed). Sear undisturbed 90 seconds, flip, and cook 60 to 90 seconds more, until the shrimp are opaque, pink and just curled into a C shape. Do not overcook.
8. Spoon the sweet potato mash into 4 shallow bowls, top with the collards and their juices, then pile on the shrimp. Scatter with scallions and squeeze a lemon wedge over each bowl before serving hot.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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