Blackened Shrimp with Parmigiano Polenta and Balsamic

Pan-seared blackened shrimp on a bed of creamy Parmigiano Reggiano polenta, finished with a few drops of traditional balsamic. The interplay of heat, cream, and balsamic acidity makes this a deceptively elegant dish.

Ingredients

• 1 cup polenta
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (24 months), grated, to taste
• Sea salt
• 200 g raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1/4 red, green, and yellow pepper, finely chopped
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 glass dry white wine
• 2 dashes Tabasco sauce
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 20 g butter
• 1 tsp Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP, to finish
• Fresh watercress, to serve
• (combine 1 tsp of each)
• Cayenne pepper, celery salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried herbs, fine sea salt, black pepper

Method

1. Pulse the dry polenta briefly in a blender to refine the grain. Bring 3 cups of chicken broth to a gentle simmer, whisk in the polenta steadily, and cook over low heat. Add the remaining broth gradually and continue stirring for about 15 minutes, until thick and silky.
2. Off the heat, stir in the olive oil, a generous handful of grated Parmigiano, and sea salt to taste. Cover and rest for 5 minutes. Keep warm.
3. Toss the shrimp with the blackening seasoning. Heat a large pan over medium-high with a little oil and sear the shrimp for about a minute on each side, until just browned. Transfer to a plate.
4. In the same pan, soften the garlic and shallot. Add the peppers and tomatoes and cook briefly. Deglaze with the white wine and red wine vinegar, then add lemon juice, Tabasco, and Worcestershire. Reduce until glossy.
5. Return the shrimp to the pan, add the butter, and toss to coat. Spoon the polenta into warmed bowls, top with the shrimp and pan sauce, finish with a few drops of balsamic and a small handful of watercress.

Notes

• Pulsing the polenta before cooking gives it a finer, creamier finish — a trick used in many Emilian kitchens.
• Use a 24-month Parmigiano Reggiano for the polenta; younger cheese disappears, older cheese is more interesting.
• Drops, not glugs, of the Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale: its complexity is concentrated.