Firm polenta serves as the base for a delectable shrimp sauce made with tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, and crisp pancetta crumbles. Once seared, the polenta is perfectly crisp on the outside and velvety on the inside. You’ll need to make the polenta a couple of hours before serving, since it needs time to cool and set before you can sear it. Luckily, it can be made ahead of time.

　　

Ingredients

makes 6 servings

　　

Seared Polenta

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

　　4 cups water

　　2 teaspoons salt

　　2 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal

　　1/4 cup heavy cream

　　1 teaspoon dried thyme

　　Cooking spray

　　

Shrimp

2 tablespoons olive oil

　　1/4 pound pancetta, chopped

　　3 garlic cloves, minced

　　1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

　　1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes

　　1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

　　3/4 teaspoon salt

　　1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

　　

Step 1

For the seared polenta, lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with 1/2 tablespoon of the butter. Set aside.

　　

Step 2

Combine the water and salt in a medium saucepan and bring just to a boil. Whisk in the cornmeal and continue whisking until it starts to thicken, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cream and thyme. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly, until the polenta is very thick.

　　

Step 3

Pour the polenta into the prepared pan and brush the top with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of the butter. Let it stand at room temperature until cool, then cover and refrigerate until chilled. (Polenta can be kept in the refrigerator for three days before using.)

　　

Step 4

When ready to use, turn the chilled polenta onto a cutting board, and cut into 12 triangles. Set aside.

　　

Step 5

For the shrimp, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan set over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove the pancetta from the pan and set aside. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook, stirring, until the garlic is pale golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the pancetta to the pan along with the tomatoes and their juice. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Season with the salt and garnish with the parsley.

　　

Step 6

Lightly grease a sauté pan with cooking spray. Sear the polenta triangles until all sides have a light golden crust, about 2 minutes per side. Place two triangles of polenta on each of six plates and top each with 1 cup of shrimp sauce.

　　

note

Step 7

Crystal loves the flavor of pancetta. If you are unable to find it at your local grocery, you can substitute with prosciutto or even bacon.

　　From The Casserole Queens Cookbook by Crystal Cook & Sandy Pollock. Copyright © 2011 by Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock; Food photographs copyright © 2011 by Ben Fink. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers.Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock, the Casserole Queens, have been delivering casseroles in Austin, Texas, since 2006; they also teach cooking classes at Whole Foods stores in the area. They have been featured on Food Network's Throwdown! with Bobby Flay and Bobby Flay Radio on Sirius XM, as well as on television news and radio talk shows.