American Soul Food: Shrimp & Grits

Ingredients

• Butter
• Polenta (cornmeal)
• Chicken stock
• Fresh thyme
• Oil
• Fatty sausages, sliced
• Jumbo tiger prawns, peeled and deveined
• Creole seasoning
• White onion, chopped
• Red and yellow bell peppers, diced
• Concentrated tomato paste
• Old Bay seasoning
• Thick cream
• Salt
• Sugar
• Water
• Grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese

Method

1. In a heavy-based pot, melt butter and add the polenta.
2. Pour in chicken stock, add a sprig of fresh thyme, and whisk well. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning at the bottom.
3. In a separate wok, heat oil and fry the sliced sausages until browned. Remove the sausages from the wok and set aside.
4. Season the jumbo tiger prawns with Creole seasoning. In the same wok with sausage-infused oil, sear the prawns on both sides until cooked through and nicely colored. Remove and set aside with the sausages.
5. In the same wok, sauté the chopped white onion, diced bell peppers, and some fresh thyme.
6. Stir in tomato paste, Creole seasoning, and Old Bay seasoning. Cook down over low heat.
7. Stir thick cream into the vegetable mix, and season with salt and a touch of sugar.
8. Add the cooked sausages and prawns back into the sauce wok and toss to coat.
9. Adjust the consistency of the cooked polenta with a bit of water, then stir in a generous amount of grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese until creamy and cheesy.
10. To serve, ladle the cheesy polenta into a bowl and spoon the savory shrimp and sausage mixture over the top.