What You'll Need
Tools
960 ml (4 cups) chicken stock
fine sea salt or flakes
150 g (1 cup) Yellow Corn Polenta
45 g (3 tablespoons) butter
Splash of olive oil
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 poblano chili pepper (or green bell pepper), seeds and veins removed, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 roma (plum) tomatoes, finely diced
450 g (1 lb) raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch cilantro leaves picked and chopped
Directions
-
Place the chicken stock and a pinch of salt in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Cover and bring to a boil, then slowly whisk in the polenta. Take your time to avoid clumps. Bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, for 45 minutes. Stir in the butter. The polenta is ready when it is soft and shiny with the texture of mashed potato.
-
If you have a pressure cooker, you can reduce the cooking time for the polenta. Set the cooker to saute setting. Place the stock and salt in the cooker, cover with a lid (not the pressure cooker lid) and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in the polenta. Add the butter, cover and lock the pressure cooker lid and set to high pressure for 15 minutes. Manually release the pressure and stir the polenta with a wooden spoon until smooth.
-
About 20 minutes before the polenta is ready, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add the chili and garlic and stir until the chili has softened, then add the tomato and cook, covered, for about 5 minutes.
-
Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper, then cover and simmer for 4 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
-
Spoon the polenta onto a large wooden board or serving platter and top with the shrimp and tomato mixture. Finish with a generous sprinkling of cilantro and serve warm.
Serves 4.
This recipe has been reprinted with permission from The Miller's Daughter by Emma Zimmerman (Hardie Grant North America).
