Please grant me some artistic license with this recipe and its title. I know that grits are actually made from ground corn which bears no resemblance to cauliflower. In this case the technique used to prepare these ‘grits’ is similar to the real thing.
Why not use traditional grits? Smoked Gouda Grits was an early post on Riegl Palate (2012!) so I am not adverse to them. For this recipe, I was looking for some of the same flavor but with a healthier overall approach.
‘Riced’ cauliflower is a great substitute for many things such as rice and grits. It is ideal for people who are looking for a low carbohydrate alternative. Riced cauliflower equates to finely chopped pieces of cauliflower that’s about the size of rice. It can be found in the produce or freezer section of your grocery store. Or you can prepare it yourself starting with a head of cauliflower and using one of these two techniques – use a box grater with the medium-size holes traditionally used to grate cheese, or a food processor with the grater blade to pulse it into small pieces. With both techniques you’re aiming for little pieces the size of rice. A two to two-and-a-half pound head of cauliflower yields about 6 cups of riced cauliflower. You can freeze what you don’t use and cook with it straight from the freezer (no need to defrost). I have taken to keeping bags of frozen riced cauliflower on hand as it cooks up just as easily as fresh, but it doesn’t go bad.
The riced cauliflower is then cooked with butter, milk (skim, almond or oat all work), yogurt and cheese so the end result is a creamy consistency similar to grits. The shrimp is easy – after seasoning it you cook it in a frying pan.
The key to success with this recipe is cooking two pans at once so the shrimp and grits are ready at the same time. Perhaps you’d like to enlist a family member to help? You will often find Ed and me both working at the stove with a recipe like this.
| Shrimp and Cauliflower Grits | Print |
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into quarters
- 2 cups riced cauliflower (see Notes)
- ⅓ cup skim milk, unsweetened almond milk or unsweetened oat milk
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup shredded cheddar cheese (low fat is fine)
- ¾ pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (see Notes)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- In a 10-inch non-stick frying pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add milk and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Remove cauliflower from heat, and stir in yogurt and cheese until melted.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss shrimp with Cajun seasoning. Set aside.
- In a 12-inch non-stick frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shrimp in one layer and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add lemon juice and chicken broth, scraping any bits off of the bottom of the pan, and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Divide cauliflower rice between two bowls. Top with shrimp (including any sauce) and scallions.
- Serve immediately.
* Riced cauliflower can be found in the produce or freezer section of your grocery store. Or you can prepare it yourself starting with a head of cauliflower and using one of these two techniques – use a box grater with the medium-size holes traditionally used to grate cheese, or a food processor with the grater blade to pulse it into small pieces. With both techniques you’re aiming for little pieces the size of rice. A 2 to 2-1/2 pound head of cauliflower yields about 6 cups of riced cauliflower. You can freeze what you don’t use and cook with it straight from the freezer (no need to defrost).
* If you don’t have Cajun seasoning, you can substitute Old Bay.
Sounds wonderful! And why not?!
Mimi – Thank you! I appreciate your open mind!!