Though this dish does take about 45 minutes to put together, most of it is pretty hands off, involving whisking the polenta from time to time. The end result is creamy, unctuous polenta, which is the perfect foil for spicy, garlicky shrimp. Drizzle a bit of the sauce over the top and you have the ideal dinner for one of those nights where the temperature drops in the evening and you wonder if spring really has arrived.
I was lucky enough to have some gorgeous, stone ground white corn polenta on hand so used that but I do think that regular, every day yellow polenta would make for a prettier dish.
1 lb shrimp, heads and tails removed
1 cup polenta (not instant)
4 cups water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsps adobo sauce from a can of chilis in adobo
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsps butter
2 tsps salt
Bring the water and salt to boil in a large stock pot. As soon as the water boils, add the polenta, whisking away madly at the same time to keep lumps from forming. Turn the heat to low and let the polenta bubble away for 15 minutes, whisking from time to time.
After 15 minutes, add both the milk and the cream and whisk well to combine. Let the polenta cook for 15 more minutes, whisking from time to time so that it doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan. At this point, turn off the heat and set the polenta aside, covered, while you prepare the shrimp.
Heat the butter and the garlic together in a skillet. As soon as the butter has melted and the garlic is starting to release its fragrance, add the adobo sauce and the wine. Stir together to combine. Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture bubble away until it is thick and glossy and reduced by about half.
Turn the heat back up to medium and add the shrimp to the sauce. Cook for about 90 seconds on each side, making sure that each shrimp is coated in the sauce.
Serve as illustrated.
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