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
Ingredients
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
Instructions
For the Polenta:
- Bring the chicken stock and milk to a boil in a heavy-duty sauce pan or small Dutch oven.
- 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.
- When it’s done, remove from the heat and stir in the butter, cheese and additional salt to taste if needed.
- Serve warm, sprinkled with additional cheese if desired.
For the Shrimp
- 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.
- Add lemon juice, chopped bacon, parsley, scallions and garlic. Saute for 3 minutes.
- To serve, spoon some of the polenta into a bowl and top it with the shrimp mixture.
Products Used:
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