Sauteed Shrimp with Creamy Polenta Recipe

My family is French Cajun (Akadian), so those delicious creole flavors and all the butter you can stuff into a recipe are okay in my book.

One of my all time favorite cajun recipes is that for shrimp and grits. It’s got creamy grits and is topped with sauteed shrimp in a light “gravy”. But for this shrimp recipe, I though I’d do something a little different.Polenta Valsugana recently sent me some of their authentic Italian polenta. It’s so authentic, the package and use instructions are all in Italian. So in brainstorming what I should make with this polenta, it hit me – shrimp and grits. Except instead of grits, I’d be making some fresh polenta.Did you know that grits and polenta are both made from corn? (Read below to find out how they’re different)

What is Polenta?

Polenta is a traditional Italian dish that is ground corn (cornmeal) that it ground to a medium or coarse consistency.

What are the Different Types of Polenta?

Stone-ground: Stone-ground cornmeal can be yellow or white, and is produced by literally grinding corn between two millstones. Stone-ground cornmeal makes a rustic polenta with a bit of texture, as it still has the bits of the whole grain, including the hull and germ. It has deep corn flavor.Coarse:  Coarse cornmeal is somewhat gritty, similar to stoneground in that it has bits of grain visible. Coarse-ground cornmeal has a noticeable corn flavor and nubby texture.Medium: This type of cornmeal is ground to a finer consistency than coarse or stoneground kinds, with the kernel sifted out. If you prefer a super-smooth polenta and very creamy texture, this is the one to use.

What’s the Difference Between Grits and Polenta?

Both grits and polenta are made from ground corn, but the main difference here is what type of corn. Polenta, as you can probably guess from the color, is made from yellow corn, while grits are normally made from white corn (or hominy).

Cajun Shrimp and Creamy Polenta

Creamy polenta and sauteed shrimp are perfectly paired in this delicious cajun shrimp and polenta recipe

For the Polenta

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup coarse or medium-grind cornmeal
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

For the Shrimp

• 2 pound shrimp (peeled and deveined)
• 10 slices bacon (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 2 large clove garlic (minced)

For the Polenta:

1. Bring the chicken stock and milk to a boil in a heavy-duty sauce pan or small Dutch oven.
2. Gradually sprinkle the polenta into the pan while whisking at the same time. Turn the heat to a very low simmer, cover and continue to cook the polenta for 25 – 30 minutes, until it’s thick, fluffy and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. When it’s done, remove from the heat and stir in the butter, cheese and additional salt to taste if needed.
4. Serve warm, sprinkled with additional cheese if desired.

For the Shrimp

1. Rinse shrimp and pat dry. Fry the bacon in a large skillet until browned; drain well. In grease, add shrimp. Cook until shrimp turn pink.
2. Add lemon juice, chopped bacon, parsley, scallions and garlic. Saute for 3 minutes.
3. To serve, spoon some of the polenta into a bowl and top it with the shrimp mixture.

Main Course

American, cajun

cajun, cheese grits, polenta, shrimp

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One Pot Shrimp & Corn Chowder

Sometimes, I get tired of chicken.I think that’s normal though. We eat a lot of chicken dishes in our house.Grilled chicken.Fried chicken.Baked chicken.Chicken. Chicken. Chicken.After all, it’s easy to cook, you can change the flavor just by adding a different sauce or spice, and it cooks relatively quickly.So for tonight’s dinner, I’m mixing things up and making shrimp. Shrimp is so great to cook with because it takes literally 3 minutes to cook completely and it’s packed with protein!If you’re looking for a one pot wonder, this is it! Everyone at my house gobbled it up and we’re asking for more!

What can I substitute for the bacon?

First of all, bacon is delicious, so why would you want to skip it? But I get it. So instead of bacon you could opt to cook the potatoes in a little vegetable oil and then skip the bacon topping. Or you could change up the flavor profile completely and use sausage. It’s totally up to you!

What’s the difference between a chowder and a soup?

A soup is usually made with stock or broth and can have vegetables, meat or fish as ingredients and is generally not very thick. A chowder may have the same ingredients, but is more chunky, creamy and thick, much like a stew. While this “chowder” is not thick in consistency, it does have milk as the main liquid - so it’s a chowder.

One Pot Shrimp & Corn Chowder

One pot holds it all - perfectly cooked shrimp, tender potatoes, corn, and savory bacon. This is a quick recipe to make for any weeknight dinner!

• 12 oz bacon (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
• 8 green onions (thinly sliced crosswise)
• 4 medium baking potatoes
• 4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 6 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 cups water
• 16 oz frozen corn (thawed and drained)
• 32 oz large shrimp (peeled and deveined)

1. In a stockpot, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp and browned, about 4-6 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.

2. Add potatoes and flour to the pot and cook, stirring, about 1 minute.

3. Add milk, seafood seasoning, thyme and water. Bring to a oil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

4. Add corn, shrimp, and green onions. Cook until the shrimp are just opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Serve immediately and top with bacon.

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