Shrimp and Polenta Cakes with Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce

bowl of shrimp and polenta cakes next to a fork

Shrimp and Polenta Cakes with Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Sip + Sanity | Linda Feller

Shrimp and Polenta Cakes with Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce is a delicious complete meal, comforting for a weeknight or fancy enough for weekend brunch.

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2 40

Main Course

Italian

people

496 kcal

Ingredients

cooking spray
1 box DeLallo Instant Polenta (9.2 oz)
4½ cups water
¾ parmesan, freshly grated, plus more for serving
5 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
12 ounce asparagus (about 1 bunch), 1/2" dice
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 pound shrimp, peeled + deveined
kosher salt + fresh cracked black pepper
crushed red pepper flakes, optional, to taste
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
1 tablespoon flour, white-whole wheat or all-purpose
1¼ cups low-sodium broth, seafood, veggie or chicken
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), drained, diced
3 ounce cream cheese (1/3 less fat), room temperature
½ teaspoon paprika, plus more to garnish
fresh basil, chopped, to garnish

Instructions

Make the Polenta

Lightly spray a 9x13" dish with cooking spray. Prepare the polenta per the package instructions with 4½ cups water. Stir in 3/4 cup of grated parmesan and 4 tbsp unsalted butter at the end. Pour this into the prepared dish and cool on the counter for 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until completely set (about 2 hours). Remove from the pan and cut into 12 equal portions, any shape you like.
Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cooking in two batches, gently brown the polenta for 3 minutes on each side until they are crispy. Remove them to a sheet pan and place them in a 170F degree oven to keep them warm.

Make the Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 20-30 seconds, whisking constantly. Add the flour and whisk constantly for about 1 minute as the flour cooks. Add the broth and sun-dried tomatoes. Give it a good stir to dissolve the roux, then allow it to come to a low simmer, about 3-4 minutes. Whisk in the cream cheese and paprika and stir until melted. Season with salt + pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm while you prepare the vegetables and shrimp.

Prepare the Veggies + Shrimp

Add the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to the large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the asparagus and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the corn to the pan and cook an additional 1 minute. Add the shrimp to the pan, season everything with a salt and pepper, add crushed red pepper if using, and cook for an addition 2 to 3 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through and the asparagus is crisp tender.

To Serve

Pour about 1/4 cup of sauce on each dish. Place a serving of polenta on top of the sauce. Divide the vegetables and shrimp evenly between the serving dishes. Drizzle a little more sauce on top. Garnish with chopped basil, grated parmesan and little dusting of paprika.

Nutrition

oven, seafood, stove top

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