Shrimp & Mushroom grits
There is really no better comfort food than some warm and soft grits on a cold lonely night by yourself. This is a serving for one, feel free to adjust if you’re feeding more people!
Ingredients
6 prawns (I like shell on for the flavor, but feel free to do shell-less if you find it annoying to peel)
1/3 tube polenta (I like plain, don’t like the ones where they add other flavors)
8-10 baby bella mushrooms (or really any other mushroom you like)
7 cloves of garlic (3 for the shrimp, 2 for the polenta, 2 for the brussel sprouts - I love garlic, feel free to use less)
10-12 brussels sprouts
Half a yellow onion
Half a lemon
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
Salt and pepper to taste
Steps
Finely dice the yellow onion
Mince the garlic
Devein and pat the prawns dry
Season the prawns with salt, pepper, some lemon zest, paprika, cayenne, and 1/3 of the minced garlic, set aside
De-stem, cut the brussels sprouts in half, and pat dry, set aside
Slice the mushrooms
Cut the tube of polenta into 3-4 half-inch thick medallions
Heat 1 tbsp of butter on medium heat in a non-stick pot that can fit all the polenta medallions in a single layer
Fry half the diced onions and 1/3 of the minced garlic in the butter for 30 seconds until fragrant
Add sliced mushrooms and cook until softened
Add the polenta medallions, and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until just golden
Prod the polenta into smaller pieces and add chicken stock, turn the heat down to low
In the meantime, fire up a pan on medium high heat
Once the pan is hot, add 1 tbsp olive oil and the remaining minced garlic, and fry until fragrant (30 seconds)
Add the brussels sprouts in an even layer in the pan and cook (without stirring) for 3-5 minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper
Meanwhile, remembering to stir the polenta every now and then and try to break down the chunky pieces as you go, salt and pepper to taste
After 3-5 minutes of letting the brussels sprouts char, start stir-frying them with a spatula for 5-10 minutes until cooked through, squeeze some lemon juice on top to finish
Empty out the pan and add the remaining olive oil (without washing)
Once the pan is nice and hot, add all the marinated shrimp in a single layer
Fry the shrimp for 1-2 minutes each side until just cooked (don’t overcook!)
Plate with mushroom polenta on the bottom, arrange fried shrimp on top, and sprinkle with fried brussels sprouts!