This a spicy Shrimp and Polenta recipe that is fairly quick and easy to make but will really impress. Polenta is made from ground yellow or white cornmeal and slowly cooked rendering a smooth and creamy texture. This recipe has a generous amount of Extra Sharp Cheddar melted into it and a bit of butter that makes it rich and decadent.
The shrimp are sautéed in a trinity of onion, green pepper, and garlic and are infused with a fiery Creole seasoning and barbecue sauce. The contrast between the textures and flavors of the intensely hot, succulent shrimp and the cool, velvety polenta is indescribably delicious. Blissful.
Spicy Barbecue Shrimp & Cheddar Cheese Polenta
(by Reeni)
1 cup Polenta
1 yellow onion, diced
1 green pepper, sliced in thin strips
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Olive oil
1-2 tablespoons Creole seasoning, depending on how hot you like it (Emeril’s Creole/Bayou
Blast seasoning or recipe to follow)
1 and 1/ 2 cups Barbecue Sauce (like Jack Daniels)
1 and 1/2 pounds of medium or large shrimp, cleaned
2 tablespoons Butter
2 cups Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1. Cook Polenta according to package directions.
2. While the Polenta is cooking saute the onion, green pepper, and seasoning in oil in a large
saute pan on low heat until tender. Add garlic and saute until fragrant.
3. Turn heat up to medium-high and add barbecue sauce and shrimp. Cook until shrimp start to curl. Remove from heat.
4. When the Polenta is finished cooking add the butter and cheddar whisking until melted.
5. Serve the shrimp over a generous helping of Polenta.
Seasoning Mix
(adapted from Emeril)
1 tablespoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 and ½ teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons cayenne or 1 and 1/2 teaspoon Peperoncino
1 and ½ teaspoon oregano
1 and ½ teaspoon thyme
Mix well in a small bowl. Store in a covered container.
At this point, I’ll only be repeating the superlatives offered by everyone else, so I’ll just say: DITTO!!
Your pictures are so vivid and clear that it just makes you want to dive into this dinner!!
I loved shrimp and grits when I visited my daughter in Charleston, but I think polenta is even better.The spicy shrimp is the best topping ever. So beautiful…and so tasty…
Just had my supper, but seeing this photos make me hungry again. Cheers,elra
Reeni I can’t believe my eyes. We have a very similar dish made of cornmeal, butter and cheese. The only difference, we don’t use any shrimps in it. and we call it “muhlama”. I’m surprised as this dish is not known by many people here. Great recipe and picture!