Paleo Inspired Shrimp Scampi with Mashed Cauliflower

Lately I was reading a lot about Paleo diet, it is one of the healthiest diet one can go for. It is basically a balanced diet which includes everything but in a correct proportion. It’s effective when it comes to weight loss without going for any kind of dieting plans. In fact dieting is actually bad for health. Today’s post is dedicated to Paleo inspired recipe, and in this recipe the main ingredient is Shrimp!

Ideally I love making shrimp scampi with pasta. Mostly people get confused with the name – what is scampi stands for? Scampi is nothing but a culinary method of making small lobster or shrimps. Its an elegant recipe that one can make serve it with linguini, angel pastas or egg pasta or whatever you have at home. This recipe is simple and easy to make. 

Today’s shrimp recipe is not served with pasta but with mashed cauliflower. This recipe is low in calories and really healthy. Shrimps are at times considered to be non-healthy and cause cholesterol but this is a myth. No doubt a shrimp contains fats but isn’t bad for your health. In fact this fat is good for your skin and hair. And this protein rich diet is perfect for dinner as well. 

Ideally in shrimp scampi recipe you pour bit of white wine, however for this recipe I am excluding wine and making it with some fresh herbs and flavors. Rest all ingredients are same i.e. garlic, lemon, parsley, olive oil and shrimps. The shrimp recipe is really easy to make and just take hardly 10 minutes to make it. That’s what I like about shrimp recipes, they are really quick to prepare. 

Tip – never over cook a shrimp, it get ruined and chewy in texture. The moment they turn pinkish in color turn off the heat.  

Let’s start cooking this amazing Paleo inspired shrimp scampi with mashed cauliflower –

This recipe serves up to 4 servings

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients –

For Mashed Cauliflower:

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into large florets
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chicken broth
•  ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method –

1. Preheat oven at 400 degrees F. Place cauliflower florets and garlic on a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle some salt and pepper, mix well and roast for 15 minutes with loosely covered with foil paper.
2. Now remove foil and stir and roast for another 15 minutes until its completely soft and tender. Transfer cauliflower-garlic mixture to a food processor and blend, add chicken broth and make smooth mash.
3. Add the cheese and mix well. Sprinkle salt and pepper if needed. Keep it warm.

For Shrimps:

• 1 pound shrimp, deveined and peeled
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon salt and pepper or to taste
• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped (garnish)

Method –

1. Mix all ingredients together except oregano and butter in a large bowl and let marinade for 15 minutes.
2. Now heat a large skillet over medium high heat and stir in shrimp. Sauté it for 5-8 minutes until shrimp is pink and cooked through.
3. Now add butter and parsley and mix well.

Assembly

Put the mash on the plate and drizzle some extra virgin oil (if needed) and top it with shrimp scampi. Don’t forget to add juices from the pan. Serve warm!