Low-Country Shrimp with Cheesy Cauliflower Grits

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A skillet supper built on everything good about the Carolina coast: sweet shrimp and smoky andouille in a peppery cream gravy, spooned over cauliflower simmered down with butter, heavy cream and sharp cheddar until it tastes like real stone-ground grits. Bacon fat does the heavy lifting, so there is no roux and no flour anywhere — just fat, dairy and a squeeze of lemon to keep it lively.

Ingredients

• 20 oz riced cauliflower (fresh or frozen)
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 oz cream cheese
• 4 oz sharp cheddar, freshly grated
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg

• 1 1/4 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 6 oz andouille sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 small green bell pepper, diced
• 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp salt-free Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vinegar-based hot sauce
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Pat the shrimp very dry, toss with 1 teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and refrigerate while you start the grits.
2. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the riced cauliflower and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until it loses its raw smell and any frozen moisture has cooked off.
3. Stir in 3/4 cup heavy cream, the cream cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the cauliflower is very tender and the cream has thickened enough to mound on a spoon.
4. Off the heat, stir in the grated cheddar a handful at a time until smooth. Cover and keep warm; if it tightens up before serving, loosen with a splash of broth or cream.
5. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes until crisp. Lift out with a slotted spoon and leave the fat in the pan.
6. Raise heat to medium-high. Add the andouille and sear 2 to 3 minutes until browned at the edges, then transfer to the plate with the bacon.
7. Add the bell pepper and celery to the drippings and cook 4 minutes until softened and lightly charred. Add the garlic, the remaining 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning and the smoked paprika; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
8. Push the vegetables to one side, add the shrimp in a single layer, and sear 60 to 90 seconds per side until just pink and opaque. Transfer the shrimp to the plate — they will finish in the gravy.
9. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits. Add 1/2 cup heavy cream, sprinkle the xanthan gum over the surface while whisking, and simmer 3 to 4 minutes until the gravy coats the back of a spoon.
10. Reduce heat to low and whisk in 2 tablespoons butter, the lemon juice, hot sauce and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Return the shrimp, andouille and bacon to the pan and warm through for 1 minute — do not boil, or the shrimp will toughen.
11. Spoon the cauliflower grits into shallow bowls, ladle the shrimp and gravy over the top, and finish with scallions and parsley. Serve immediately.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

One-Pot Chicken Creole

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem