Cajun Rice Bowl with Griddled Shrimp
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Recipe by:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
Sweet Heat Seasoning (makes just over ½ cup)
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon. cayenne
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Cajun Rice Bowl
  • 2 cups diced sweet potatoes
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • Acadiana Table Sweet Heat Seasoning Blend, see recipe
  • 1 cup pecan halves
  • Acadiana Table Cajun Seasoning Blend, see recipe here
  • 1 large carrot
  • 8 jumbo (16/20 count) shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail-on
  • ½ cup diced yellow onion
  • ½ cup diced red bell pepper
  • ½ cup chopped green bell pepper
  • ½ cup diced celery
  • 4 cups cooked brown rice, such as Supreme
  • ½ cup slivered green onion tops
  • ½ cup shredded carrots
  • 4 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
  • 2 small bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
Sweet Heat Seasoning
  1. In a large mixing bowl, mix all spice ingredients together and place in an airtight jar.
Cajun Rice Bowl
  1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
  2. In a mixing bowl, add the sweet potatoes along with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Turn to coat them evenly and sprinkle lightly with Sweet Heat seasoning. Place on a foil-lined baking tray, and roast in the oven until tender, about 30 minutes. Keep warm until serving.
  3. In a mixing bowl, add the pecans along with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Turn to coat them evenly and sprinkle lightly with Cajun seasoning. Place on a foil-lined baking tray, and roast in the oven until crunchy, about 10 minutes. Keep warm until serving.
  4. Wash the carrot and with a vegetable peeler, slice a long peel off one side and discard. Hold the carrot tightly with one hand and using the peeler, slice long lengthwise ribbons of carrot. Continue until the carrot is completely sliced. Toss the ribbons with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle lightly with Cajun seasoning.
  5. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sprinkle the shrimp with Cajun seasoning and add to the hot skillet and sauté just until the shrimp turn pink and are done, about 5 minutes. Remove and keep warm until later.
  6. In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons more of the olive oil along with the onion, bell peppers and celery. Cook until the peppers begin to brown and add the rice, green onion tops, and shredded carrots. Continue stirring to combine and warm through, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep warm.
  7. In the bottom of an individual (oversized) bowl, layer with shredded lettuce. Add a mound of the rice mixture to one side. Position 4 shrimp next to the rice, and mound the carrot ribbons along side. Garnish with sprigs of fresh parsley and lay the pecans on top. Drizzle all ingredients lightly with olive oil, and a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. Sprinkle salt and coarse black pepper over the dish. Serve immediately.
Notes
I like building off the shredded lettuce; it wilts under the warmth of the ingredients, and the olive oil and lemon soak down to dress it. Instead of parsley (which was fresh and available to me), I suggest basil would be a nice substitute. Feel free to omit the shrimp if you want a more vegetarian version. Think of the options you can include: perhaps red beans or lentils, kale or spinach, ground pork or cubed chicken. The olive oil and lemon are a simple saucing, but there are many hand-made or bottled dressing alternatives.
Recipe by Acadiana Table at https://www.acadianatable.com/?p=24931