Spicy Grilled Shrimp Over Polenta With Chimichurri & Passion Fruit Balsamic Sauce

Makes: 1 wholesome entrée, serving size as seen

Autumnal chills call for all kinds of warmth; snuggly sweaters, fluffy blankets, cozy socks, and comforting food to promptly make you drowsy and one with all the warm, mushy things you’ve surrounded yourself with.

INGREDIENTS

GROUP A: SHRIMP

• 120g jumbo shrimp, de-shelled & de-veined

• ¼ tsp each - ground cayenne pepper, ground cumin, salt, ground pepper, onion powder, & garlic powder

• ¼ tsp hot sauce (like Cholula)

• ½ tsp Old Bay seasoning

• ½ tsp lemon juice

GROUP B: POLENTA

• ¼ cup medium stone-ground cornmeal

• 1 cup water

• ¼ tsp salt

• ½ tsp olive oil

• Flakey parmesan cheese

GROUP C: CHIMICHURRI

• 1 medium shallot

• 5 large garlic cloves

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 1 tsp red chili flakes

• ½ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp ground black pepper

• 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp olive oil

• Handful of fresh parsley & cilantro each

GROUP D: PASSION FRUIT BALSAMIC

• 2 tsp butter

• 1 tbsp each – balsamic vinegar, water, lemon juice, & olive oil

• ½ tbsp + 1 tsp passion fruit syrup (I used this one!)

method

• Shrimp - Mix hot sauce, lemon juice, & all the spices to form a paste. Coat shrimp properly. Set aside to marinate. Pan-sear in a skillet or grill in a grill pan on medium-high heat for about 30 seconds each side, till shrimp is soft, but properly cooked.

• Polenta – Blitz the cornmeal in a blender till it is a fine powdery consistency. This helps cook it a lot faster. Boil the 1 cup water till it is simmering. Slowly sift in the blitzed cornmeal, little by little, constantly whisking the water mixture as you do. Add all the cornmeal, salt, olive oil, & cheese, all the while constantly stirring. Smooth down to a paste in a blender to make it a creamy consistency.

• Chimichurri – Add everything except the oil, parsley, & cilantro to a blender and keep pulsing till a thick, chunky paste is formed, with very tiny bit-like pieces of garlic and onion in it. Add the herbs and oil, and pulse only up to a point where the herbs are chopped enough, and the mixture comes together as a thick, spreadable paste.

• Passionfruit Balsamic – Warm the butter in a skillet. When it starts to sizzle, add in the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, & passion fruit syrup. Stir continuously on low heat for a minute, till the sauce is browned. Transfer to a small bowl, add water & lemon juice, and mix well to form a runny sauce. Plate up! Ladel polenta onto a plate and serve the shrimp over it. Top with chimichurri, and a healthy drizzle of the passion fruit balsamic. Eat while warm!

This is a sponsored post, courtesy of Real Infused Exotics.