Recipe Swap: Shrimp and Grits (Polenta)

I was so excited to participate in this week's swap: seafood. I submitted one of my favorite dishes, Jambalaya Marylaya, for the swap. When I received Shrimp and Grits fom Cookaholic Wife, my excitement waned. Grits are nasty. I just cannot handle grits, but the rest of the recipe looked amazing to me. I did check to see if my parents had any grits at their house, so I could have just made it and served it to my grits loving dad, but they did not. So I decided to change it up and replace the grits with polenta. Which turned out to be the perfect substitution. This dish was rich, creamy and satisfying.  I served Miss F's shrimp with mac n' cheese since I know she hasn't been a huge polenta fan in the past.  She just loves shrimp (thank goodness!)

Shrimp and Polenta

2 cups water
2 cups milk
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 cup polenta
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon pepper
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated

2 pieces bacon, chopped
1 small white onion, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon flour
¾ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon minced parsley

In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring milk, water, and salt to a boil. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook 20 minutes, until creamy, lifting the lid and stirring every 3 or 4 minutes to prevent sticking. Remove pot from stove, stir in pepper and butter. Gradually stir in cheese. Cover again and set aside, keeping warm.

In a large skillet, cooked the bacon over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel to drain. Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the shrimp and crushed red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes or until shrimp are pink. Combine the half-and-half and flour in a small bowl, whisking until smooth. Add the mixture to the skillet, along with the chicken broth and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Spread polenta on plate and top with shrimp mixture. Garnish with minced parsley and reserved bacon.

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