Sunday, July 15, 2018

Low Carb Shrimp-stuffed Bell Peppers

I have been buying too many old(er) cookbooks at estate sales lately. It's interesting to me how little directions some of the recipes give, but then I realized that I was experimenting much more with the recipes - and that was most likely the point.

This month's experiments have come from Bayou Cuisine, published by St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Indianola, MS. in 1970. The original recipe that mine was inspired by came from Dr. J. Malcolm Leveque of Lake Charles, LA.

Here's the original inspiration:

Shrimp-Stuffed Bell Peppers
6 medium bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. bread cubes
1 lb chopped or ground shrimp
1 small can tomato paste
1 bay leaf
Salt, pepper, red pepper

Fry onions, celery, shrimp, and garlic in butter until wilted. Add bread cubes blending together, adding a little water. Season well - stir lightly and cook until dressing is ready to put in peppers. Keep 1 tbsp dressing aside to use in sauce. Clean and remove seeds from peppers, stuff with dressing. Bake 30 minutes in a 350-degree oven. While the peppers are baking, make highly seasoned sauce with can of tomato sauce, bay leaf, onions, and remaining tbsp of dressing. Let simmer a few minutes - remove peppers from oven, drain water, and add sauce. Bake 10 minutes longer. Serves 6.

Here's my new recipe:

Low-Carb Shrimp Stuffed Bell Peppers

Low-Carb Shrimp-Stuffed Bell Peppers
3 medium red bell peppers
1/3 cup purple onion, diced
1/2 cup Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1 pkg. cauliflower pearls
3/4 lb shrimp, peeled and diced
1 can crushed tomatoes
Salt, pepper, smoked paprika
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup French's crispy fried onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in fry pan or cast iron skillet. Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Drain as much water from cauliflower pearls as possible, then add to pan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes and then season to taste with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.

Cut only the tops from the peppers, then clean and remove seeds. Put peppers in a microwave-safe glass baking dish with an inch of water in the bottom. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 5 minutes. Once finished, take off the wrap and drain all water.  Put peppers to the side.

Add shrimp to fry pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste again. Add just enough of the crushed tomatoes to meld the mixture together (1/4 to 1/3 cup). Put the remaining crushed tomatoes at the bottom of the glass baking dish, then add bell peppers back. Stuff peppers with cauliflower mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.