Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 cup fine cornmeal polenta (I love the Anson Mills variety!)
  • 3 1/2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 8 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil or oregano
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • Salt and pepper
  • Shaved parmesan cheese for garnish

Instruction

  • Make the polenta: Put the polenta, water and salt into a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover leaving the lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 30 minutes. The polenta may look done after 15 minutes but letting it cook a little longer will give it a better taste. When the polenta is done, stir in butter and add more salt if needed.
  • While the polenta is cooking, make the sauce. Break up the tomatoes with a spoon or your fingers. Add the water.
  • Heat the oil over medium high heat and add the garlic. Stir it around for about a minute, and then pour in the tomato mixture, the salt and the oregano. Simmer for 15 minutes.
  • While the sauce is simmering (I know, we have a lot of things going on, but it’s going to be SO worth it!), heat the olive oil over medium high. Add the garlic and stir for about a minutes. Add the shrimp in a single layer, sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper and cook them until they are pink and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Scoop out the smashed garlic and throw it out.
  • Pour the marinara sauce over the cooked shrimp in the skillet and stir until everything is nice and coated.
  • Ladle some polenta in warmed dishes and place 4 shrimp on top. Spoon on extra sauce, garnish with shaved parmesan and serve at once.