Comfort food can have so many benefits both physically and mentally. It can take many forms and can be something totally different for each person depending on preference, family traditions, ethnical background, or even what just sounds good at the time!
"Shrimp and grits" has been a comfort food staple for me ever since I tried it for the first time. No one in my family was ever a fan of grits so I never had it until I was an adult and my first thought was "what have I been missing all of these years?"
I recently put a new spin on this classic comfort dish with my new Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp over Creamy Parmesan Polenta. If that does not scream COMFORT food, I do not know what does! And it is as delicious as it is beautiful!
I started by sautéeing sliced cremini mushrooms in some butter and olive oil until they browned and gave off their liquid. I then added a diced red pepper, plenty of chopped garlic, and a diced shallot. The kitchen instantly smelled amazing!
Once the vegetables had softened, I added more butter and sprinkled flour over everything. After it had cooked for several minutes, I deglazed the pan with white wine and lemon juice and allowed it to reduce. I added chicken stock, lemon zest, salt, and pepper, brought it to a boil, and let it simmer on low until the sauce thickened. The last two steps were to taste for seasoning and add the peeled, deveined shrimp which cooked in two to three minutes.
While the sauce was finishing, I made the polenta. I added white corn meal to a pot of salted boiling water and whisked until smooth and starting to thicken. I finished with salt, pepper, and a generous amount of grated Parmesan cheese. I simply garnished with chopped fresh parsley and more lemon zest. This is SUCH a winner!
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