For a busy weeknight, I find myself going with a shrimp dish since shrimp is quick to cook and goes with so many things. I prefer to use fresh, but frozen will do in a pinch. Just be sure to fridge defrost it rather then soaking the shrimp in water as I’ve heard people do. By putting it in water, I find it cooks up rubbery and loses a lot of flavor. If you have frozen, just put it in the fridge over night and it should be ready to go by the next nights dinner.
This is a fairly easy garlic shrimp recipe that is so full of flavor and versatile. The polenta can have anything added to it from jalapenos to cheese to bacon to veggies. This combines jalapeno and cheddar for a nice spicy flavor.
Ingredients
2 cups water
1 teaspoon butter
1 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon sweet onion, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
6 jalapeño rings, chopped
2 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
5 strips of bacon, cooked
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 cup sweet onions, chopped
1 cup white wine
3 sun dried tomatoes, cut into strips
For nutrition information, click the Magic button
Directions
In a large sauce pan, add the water and butter and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in the corn meal until blended and all water is absorbed. Blend in the onion, salt pepper, jalapeno and cheese. Press into a cookie sheet or baking pan then chill until firm. The nice thing here is you can use any cooking sheet or bakeware depending on how thick you want your cakes. You can also press them into a muffin tin to make little polenta circles if you wish or a cookie cutter for a seasonal polenta shape. I used a bread loaf pan for thicker rectangular shaped cakes.
While the polenta is chilling, cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Set the bacon aside on a paper towel to drain off any excess grease. Pour any grease out of the skillet, but if there are bacon bits or stuck on bacon, leave it in the pan to help flavor the shrimp. Add the garlic, the shrimp and onion to the bacon skillet and cook for about 1 minute.
Add the wine and cook until the shrimp are pink and the majority of the liquid has cooked down.
While the shrimp is cooking in the wine, heat up a stove top griddle and spray it with cooking spray.
Remove the polenta from the fridge and cut into squares, circles, rectangles or any shape you like. Cook on the griddle 3 minutes each side or until warmed all the way though.
To serve, place your polenta on a plate, top with the garlic shrimp, then top the shrimp with the sun dried tomatoes and crumbled bacon.
I loved this dish. With lots of flavor and texture, it was a party for my taste buds. This is a wonderful weeknight meal or something you can put together for a dinner party by cooking the polenta and bacon early, then assemble before serving. Give this amazing garlic shrimp a shot and let me know what you think.
Featured on Miz Helen’s Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday October 10, 2013
Featured on Happy & Blessed Home Family Fun Friday October 11, 2013
Kathleen C says
September 25, 2013 at 11:58 amI never thought of adding something to Polenta. I don’t know why I didn’t, but it is the truth. This sounds yummy. I think I will use chicken instead of shrimp for my portion, but my husband will love the shrimp. Thanks for this. I never know how to make it for him!
Kathleen C recently posted…9 layer dip
Lisa @ Charlie The Cavalier says
September 25, 2013 at 1:51 pmI have never tried or made polenta but this does not look so bad.
Lisa @ Charlie The Cavalier recently posted…What has Lisa been doing?
Christopher James says
September 26, 2013 at 12:42 amWow. Your recipe looks good. I think I’m gonna try it.
Christopher James recently posted…Reviewing 3 of the best
Javelin Warrior says
September 30, 2013 at 2:25 pmI’ve never had firm polenta like this with shrimp before but I love the mix of flavors. And the cheddar and jalapeno polenta just sounds so wonderful! This is a great go-to recipe for a quick dinner…
Javelin Warrior recently posted…Made with Love Mondays: Week of 9/30/2013
Sharon says
October 2, 2013 at 10:03 amMouthwatering….that’s all I can say! We love shrimp in our house. It is a simple things to fix. I like new recipes to try with shrimp and this one sounds like a great idea. Marking it down as a “try-it”.
Sharon recently posted…New Twist on Homemade Powdered Laundry Detergent
Natasha says
October 2, 2013 at 1:37 pmThis looks absolutely delicious! I love shrimp, and the mix with the cheddar and jalapeno polenta just makes it that much more scrumptious. Mmmmm….
Thanks so much for sharing this post on Turn It Up Tuesdays…we love having you! Would you be interested in sharing a post about toddler-friendly eats on my series, What’s For Lunch Mommy? Email me at 1epicmommy@gmail.com if you’d be interested. Thanks!
Natasha recently posted…Apple Pie Oatmeal :: Whats For Lunch Mommy?
Kristin @ Dizzy Busy and Hungry! says
October 3, 2013 at 5:08 amI love cooking with shrimp for the exact same reasons! So I am always on the look out for new recipe ideas using shrimp. I am pinning this one!
Thanks for sharing at Wine’d Down Wednesday! I hope to see you again next week!
Kristin @ Dizzy Busy and Hungry! recently posted…Wine’d Down Wednesday Link Party!
Lizy @ https://justdipitinchocolate.blogspot.com/ says
October 3, 2013 at 8:21 amEvery ingredient on this recipe screams Delicious, wine, shrimp, garlic, bacon…and polenta…girl tell me when to come on over and enjoy the goodness! Thank you so much for sharing with us at the Fluster Buster Party! Have a fantastic week, Lizy party co host
Michelle says
October 5, 2013 at 8:18 pmLooks delicious!! Shrimp is one of my quick go-to dinners too, but I never thought to defrost it ahead of time in the fridge! Thanks for that tip! Visiting from Meandering Mondays! Following you on Facebook and Twitter now!
Michelle recently posted…Real Life Mom Meltdowns, Front and Center
Tumbleweed Contessa says
October 5, 2013 at 8:49 pmOh gosh. I would have thought of this for a really nice dinner not a quick week night meal. There are so many great flavors going on in this dish but you are right. It is fast. Now I can have both. Thanks for sharing at What’d You Do This Weekend.
Tumbleweed Contessa recently posted…Weekly Rays of Sunshine #47
Miz Helen says
October 6, 2013 at 4:20 pmI love this dish and especially the Jalapeno Cheddar Polenta, awesome! Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and hope your weekend was great!
Miz Helen
Miz Helen recently posted…Whats For Dinner Next Week 10-6-13
Brenna @ Life After Laundry says
October 8, 2013 at 4:01 pmI have never tried polenta, we just eat grits down here. lol. I will have to try this recipe out soon. Thanks for Less Laundry, More Linking party.
Brenna @ Life After Laundry recently posted…Meal Planning Week #5
Diane Balch says
October 9, 2013 at 10:16 amI never thought to do a southwestern take on polenta. Great idea. Thanks for sharing it with us on foodie friday.
Diane Balch recently posted…Pot Roast in Red Wine: aka Boeuf a la Mode #French Fridays with Dorie
Kathy Penney @ Sparkles And A Stove says
October 9, 2013 at 5:47 pmThis is my kind of comfort food! Love shrimp but I’d also like to try that spicy cheddar polenta! Thanks so much for sharing at All Things Pretty!
Kathy Penney @ Sparkles And A Stove recently posted…Easy Halloween Mantle Ideas
Monica says
October 9, 2013 at 9:45 pmI need to make more shrimp dishes and this looks awesome!
Pinned and featuring at Family Fun Friday
Monica
https://www.happyandblessedhome.com/category/family-fun/
Monica recently posted…Counting Money Free Printable Worksheets
Tanya Schroeder says
October 12, 2013 at 6:50 amOh my gosh, this looks delicious!!! I have to try this for sure!
Tanya Schroeder recently posted…Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wrap
Miz Helen says
October 13, 2013 at 12:47 pmYour recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you are having a fun weekend and enjoy your new Red Plate!
Miz Helen
Miz Helen recently posted…Whats For Dinner Next Week 10-13-13