Soft Polenta with Shrimp Ragout

I woke up early, got the day started, and promptly sat down to make my To Do list for the day & weekend, and ...

Hold on, need to switch the laundry over to the dryer.

See what I mean?

Obviously, some days do not allow for lengthy meal preparation and such. {Ok, MOST days, I'd say.}

But that doesn't mean that you should just throw in the towel and reach for the Hamburger Helper or the instant Mac & Cheese. {Fun fact: I have never actually had HH! No offense to lovers of this product! But seriously are there any??}

Wanna fake out your family and make them think you slaved away in the kitchen between juggling job, errands, life and everything else on your plate? Make them this:

And light some candles while you're at it for some ambiance. {Except, maybe not if you have kids because that might end up being more of a hazard than a mood-enhancer.}

This is one of the easiest dishes I've made in a while. It was quick, simple, and had tons of flavor. {And a heck of a lot of spice, too, but that's because my delicate little taste buds are not accustomed to red pepper flakes and I used the entire ½ teaspoon in ours.}

It also looked surprisingly pretty without a whole lot of effort.

Don't get scared by the word "ragout" either... it may seem fancy, but this dish is basically down home Shrimp & Grits masquerading as a snooty entree in designer Italian flavors. {Though the word itself has French origins. Whoa, we're gettin' all global here. Haha!}

If you're wondering why the pictures have a funny tint to them, it's because I had to photograph the dish right before dinner time and it was already dark out... and there were no leftovers to shoot the next day. Good sign. 🙂

Alright, off to check a few more things off my list for today. Or at least attempt it before I get distracted!

Soft Polenta with Shrimp Ragout
adapted from Food & Wine

For Polenta:

2 cups water
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup polenta
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt

For Shrimp:

2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes {I recommend being conservative if you're not used to it!}
4 scallions, sliced thin, plus 1 extra sliced on the diagonal for garnish {optional}
3 tablespoons tomato paste {did you see my tip I shared on my Facebook page for saving leftover tomato paste?}
½ cup white wine
2 tablespoons water
1 pound peeled, deveined large shrimp {I used frozen, but fresh is even better}
zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon of fresh parsley, minced {or ½ teaspoon dry}
salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring water and chicken broth to a boil over high heat in a medium pot. When it comes to a rolling boil, stream in polenta, whisking constantly.

2. Lower heat to medium. Bring back to boil and whisk until it begins to thicken, whisking often and making sure it is not sticking to the bottom of the pot.

3. Once the water is mostly absorbed and the polenta is thick but pourable {about 10-12 minutes}, remove from heat and add salt, butter, and olive oil. Stir until the butter is melted and everything is thoroughly mixed.

4. Cover the pot with a lid and set aside to keep warm.

Shrimp:

1. Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large pan. Add in red pepper flakes and scallions, and cook for about 1 minute, stirring often.

2. Add tomato paste and stir or whisk, cooking for about 2-3 minutes until slightly darkened.

3. Carefully pour in wine and water, whisking to incorporate into a uniform sauce and bring to simmer.

4. Add shrimp and cook until just pink, opaque and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.

5. Stir in lemon zest, juice, and parsley, and simmer for a minute or so.

To Serve:

Spoon soft polenta in the center a bowl or dish. Ladle shrimp with sauce on top. Garnish with scallions if desired.