Shrimp and Grits with Roasted Vegetable Sofrito by Chef Eric Greenspan

Instructions

1. For the sofrito, preheat oven to 425F. Spray the red onions with cooking spray and wrap in foil. Roast until soft, about 1 hour. Let cool.
2. Over an open fire, char the peppers until the skin is blistering. Use tongs to turn the peppers to evenly char. Place in a mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap until the peppers cool and the skin steams enough to easily be removed, about 15 minutes. Remove the stem and seeds from the peppers by cutting them lengthwise. Using the back of a knife gently remove the skin. Do not be alarmed if some of the charred skin remains as it will impart a smoky flavor. Do not run the peppers under water for ease of removal as it will diminish the charred flavor. Once peeled, cut into a julienne and set aside.
3. Remove the onion from the foil and remove skin from the onion. Cut in half lengthwise and julienne.
4. In a large cast iron pan, add 2 tsp oil and the garlic and sauté on medium heat until the garlic begins to color. Add the peppers, onions and 1/4 tsp salt; sauté until warmed through. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the arugula just until wilted. Set aside.
5. For the grits, pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until finely chopped. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and set aside. Bring 3 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Gradually stir in grits and ½ tsp salt. Cook according to package directions. Remove pan from the heat. Stir in cauliflower, yogurt and pepper. Keep warm.
6. For the shrimp, toss the shrimp in a mixing bowl with the remaining 4 tsp oil, paprika, chili powder, and ¼ tsp salt. Heat a cast iron pan on high heat. Working in batches, add the shrimp and sear on both sides until just opaque in center, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat; sprinkle shrimp with some of the lemon juice and toss. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl. Repeat with remaining shrimp and lemon juice.
7. To plate, spoon the grits on the bottom of a bowl. Top with the sofrito of vegetables and then the shrimp
8. Serving size: a scant cup grits, rounded cup shrimp and 2/3 c sauce