A southern tradition… Shrimp & Grits! Being from the south, and my mother being from Kentucky, you would think that I would have had this dish regularly my entire life, but that isn’t the case. I’ve never been a big “greeits” fan unless it was on a cold rainy day and served in a breakfast bowl with butter, sugar and milk… and I still love and eat that today. It’s WAY better than oatmeal! When going to restaurants, even in the south, folks tend to eat grits with nothing but salt and pepper and to me, no offense, but I think that’s nasty and bland!
However, I was recently turned on to the wonders of polenta. That creamy cheesy goodness that resembles mashed potatoes on cheesy crack. I realize grits are a hominy based product and has a slightly different taste, but I didn’t have slow-cooking grits on hand, so I substituted polenta in this recipe. The results were fabulous and delicious. The polenta is rich and creamy with an abundance of flavor. The shrimp, perfectly cooked and burst in your mouth with spicy flavor and a little background heat that doesn’t overwhelm.
I read several recipes online, ranging from Paula Dean to Bobby Flay to the many bloggers out there and here is the result. Let me say this is one “fine” southern dish and will become a regular at our dinner table.
Polenta:
1 1/2 c. polenta
1 Tsp. EVOO
10 Tsp. butter (divided)
3 c. water or chicken stock
1 c. half and half or cream (this is what makes it really creamy)
1/2 medium onion (finely diced)
1 Tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp. white pepper
2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 c. Ricotta cheese
In large pot or dutch oven, heat EVOO and 2 Tsp. of butter on medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook on medium heat until onion becomes translucent but does not brown, 4-5 minutes. Add water, half and half, salt and bring to a boil. Slowly pour in polenta while whisking to blend thoroughly. Once polenta is all incorporated (mixture will be thickening), turn heat to low, cover and cook for 20-30 mins, whisking every 4-5 mins. Just before serving, add ricotta, grated cheddar and butter. Whisk thoroughly and turn off the heat, cover and set aside until plating. If the mixture is a little too thick you can add more chicken stock, water or milk to obtain the desired consistency. Serving is approximately 1- 1 1/2 c. in a serving bowl with shrimp (recipe below) on top.
Shrimp:
1 lb. large peiled and deveined shrimp
1 Tsp. EVOO
3 Tsp. butter
1/2 medium onion (finely diced)
2 Tbsp garlic (minced)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
zest of 1/2 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp Chipotle Sauce (or adobo from the can)
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1/4 c. water
2 Tsp minced fresh parsley (garnish)
a few dashes of hot sauce (optional)
In a large skillet, heat EVOO and butter, add onions and garlic and cook until translucent. Add remaining ingredients except shrimp, stir to mix and remove from heat and let it cool down. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Let the shrimp marinade in this mixture for approx. 15-20 mins off the heat.
When the polenta is ready and you are ready to serve, turn the heat on the shrimp, add 1/4 cup water and cook until it just turns pink. DO NOT overcook. Remove from heat and toss in the parsley.
Place approximately 1 to 1 1/2 c. of polenta in a serving bowl. Place 6-8 shrimp in the center of the bowl tails up and spoon some of the pan sauce over the top. For those who like it really hot, you can sprinkle your favorite hot sauce now. :) Makes 4-6 servings.
Enjoy!
Dreamy~
Speaking of leftovers, this is great the next day on a sandwich with a slice of cheddar cheese, lettuce, mayo and tomato. 
