Wine Country meets a little Southern Hospitality with this take on a Southern brunch comfort food staple, Shrimp and Grits. The use of bright ingredients, like lemon, basil, feta and fresh cut corn, make this dish feel light and decadent at the same time. This dish was crafted by our very own, Brian Burton.
1 carton, 32 oz., College Inn® Chicken Broth
1 cup polenta
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 cups Del Monte® Fresh Cut Whole Kernel Corn (approximately 1 -15.25 oz. can)
1 cup feta cheese
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 pound 21-25 count white shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup diced shallots
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 lemon
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: Garnish with diced tomatoes, lemon wedges, fresh basil and an additional light dusting of feta cheese.
Bring the 32 ounces of chicken broth to a boil in a medium sized sauce pan. Once boiling, slowly pour in 1 cup polenta while whisking. Once the polenta has been incorporated, turn the heat down to low and continue whisking until the polenta just begins to thicken. Then cover the pan with a lid and let simmer. Stir the polenta every 5 - 6 minutes with a wooden spoon, for a total of 25 - 30 minutes, or until you feel the polenta is done. Total cook time will depend on type of polenta used, taste for doneness. Once polenta is done, mix in 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 cup of corn kernels and 1 cup of feta cheese. Then remove from the heat and let the polenta rest.
While the polenta is resting, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter into a skillet on medium high heat. The olive oil will help keep the butter from burning. Once the fat is hot, add 1 pound of shrimp and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Sauté the shrimp for about 3 minutes and then remove the shrimp from the pan, without removing the fat, and set aside. To the pan, add 1/4 cup diced shallots and soften for one minute. Then deglaze the pan by adding 1/4 cup white wine and scrap the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. After about 1 minute, turn down the heat to medium and add the juice of 1/2 of a lemon and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Stir and let simmer for another minute before adding the shrimp back in with the 1/2 cup of corn kernels. Simmer for another minute before adding 1/4 cup of chiffonade basil, giving a final mix and removing from the heat. Salt and pepper the sauce to taste.
For assembly, lay down a bed of the savory, cheesy polenta. Then top with the creamy, lemon basil butter sauce and 5-6 shrimp. Serve immediately.