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    Home » Main Dishes

    Shrimp with Polenta

    Published: Jan 25, 2013 · Modified: Apr 21, 2022 by thekitchenprep · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    IMG_6777
     
    I have had the focus and attention span of a gnat today. No, really.

    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:

    IMG_6771

    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!}

    IMG_6776
    Oh, heavens. The "flash mob" is surely going to show up at my door for this one.
    And I don't mean the friendly dancing kind.

    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.

    « Orange Rosemary Muffins
    Southwest Turkey Chili »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. [email protected] Life Food and Beer says

      January 25, 2013 at 11:09 pm

      I wonder were you got the idea for Hamburger Helper and Easy Mac 🙂 This looks great!!

      Reply
    2. Jess @ On Sugar Mountain says

      January 26, 2013 at 7:08 pm

      Hey man, don't judge HH - it has helped me through some rough times in college 😉 But this could be a much better solution! It looks so comforting I may even make it next week since (shockingly) I have everything in my pantry!

      Reply
    3. thekitchenprep says

      January 27, 2013 at 1:52 pm

      @Sloane - Hehehe! 😉 Thank you!

      @Jess - No judgement! I never was an HH girl, but I did eat plenty of those 85 cent Lipton pasta packets during my college career! 😉 I promise you'll enjoy this even more than your old standby, though... do let me know if you try it out. 🙂

      Reply
    4. Katie says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:51 am

      Oh this looks fantastic!!!

      Reply

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    Hi! I'm Dianna. I used to think cooking had to be complicated to be good, so I never considered it "my thing." Now I know that's far from true, and my mission is to create & share easy, mouthwatering recipes - from weeknight dinners to simple bites for entertaining - that anyone can make! Join me in my South Florida kitchen and let's get cooking!

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