Every now and then even favorite dishes will evolve... either by choice, necessity or sometimes sheer luck. In this case I was upstate and wanted to make my Garlic Shrimp & Shirataki Noodles for my father-in-law. I could not find any Shirataki noodles at the local grocer so I improvised and served the dish on a bed of cauliflower mash. Turns out this version outshines the original! LOL
Although now heavily adapted, I will still give Craving Something Healthy credit for the original idea. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 1 medium head cauliflower
- 1 medium yellow onion - minced
- 2-3 tbsp salted butter - as needed
- flavored bread crumbs - as needed
- salt & pepper to taste
- 12-16 oz large shrimp - peeled, deveined & tail off
- salt and pepper to taste
- olive oil as needed
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 small - medium yellow onion - minced
- 12 oz grape or cherry tomatoes - pierced
- 1 tbsp+ fresh parsley - minced
- 1 tbsp+ fresh basil - minced
Preparation:
Cauliflower Mash:
Cut up the cauliflower and use your preferred cooking method until the florets are moderately soft. I simmer/steam in my Guardian Service - lid on.
While the cauliflower is cooking, mince the onion and saute in a bit of olive oil until translucent and slightly browned. Set aside for later, including saute oil for flavor.
Once the cauliflower is cooked, use a potato masher to break up the florets.
Add butter and puree the cauliflower using a stick blender. Add salt, pepper, butter and maybe flavored bread crumbs until you achieve a consistency and flavor to your liking.
Finally add the sauteed onion to the mix and blend well. Set the mash aside and keep warm.
The Shrimp Topping:
Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat 2+ tbsp of olive oil in a saute pan on medium-high heat, and saute the shrimp for ~1 minute on each side, or until they just turn pink. Remove them from the pan and set them aside - covered.
Add the garlic & onion to the skillet with another splash of olive oil and saute for 5-6 minutes. Add the tomatoes and let them cook for 6-8 minutes with occasional tossing, or until they start to break down. I usually pierce them with a sharp knife so they give off their juice and don't pop.
Chef's note: If you don't have cherry tomatoes, you can substitute with regular ones cut up, adjusting cook time so they retain some of their integrity/shape.
When the tomatoes are just about finished, add the basil, parsley and a bit more oil if dry. Saute for 1 more minute.
Add the shrimp to the pan with the tomatoes and garlic. Toss everything well to combine.
Place a bed of cauli-mash in each plate and top with shrimp mixture. Enjoy!
Blessed be... and happy cooking!