Brown Butter Shrimp with Polenta

Crispy shrimp on top of soft and creamy polenta. 

All drizzled with a scrumptious almond and brown butter sauce

A must-try combo of nutty and creamy, salty and spicy!

This post is written in collaboration with Gorton's Seafood. All opinions are mine. Thank you for your support! #Gorton'sShrimpAppetizers #ad

Here is a mouthwatering and easy-to-make shrimp appetizer recipe perfect for the upcoming holidays. 

I served it for dinner last night and my family absolutely loved it. 

And what's not to love about golden crispy shrimp, served with soft and creamy polenta, drizzled (... or drenched - up to you!) in a extra-flavorful brown butter sauce and topped with crunchy almonds?!? 

It is the perfect balance of nutty and creamy, salty and spicy. 

And a sure (and easy!) way to impress your guests this holiday season. 

Take a look! And tell me, how good does it look?!? 

Trust me, it's at least as scrumptious as it seems. You will agree once you try it too.

You can serve it as an appetizer (recipe serves 4). Or double up the serving (recipe serves 2) and you're in for a tasty entree'.

The best part of this recipe, it's quite easy to pull together and it will take no more than 30 minutes from start to finish. 

To make things faster (and super yummy!) I used one of my freezer staples: Gorton's Butterfly Shrimp. They are so versatile and delicious, that I always keep a box or two in the freezer. It comes super handy especially during busy cooking times like the holidays. It's a good source of protein, rich in vitamins and minerals, non-GMO, and immunity boosting. 

Now let's talk polenta for a minute. I used instant polenta flour which only takes about 5 minutes to cook. But you can also use regular polenta flour. It will take about 30 to 40 minutes to cook but it's well worth it!

No matter which flour you use, remember to keep the polenta warm (and creamy!) on the stove until ready to serve. It will harden as soon as it cools down. 

To make the toasted almonds, I browned the butter with the almond slices. It only takes a few minutes, but - warning! - you will need to watch it closely. Once the butter starts to foam, it will take not time to go from clear to brown and then burnt. So watch for the color and remove from the heat as soon as it turns brown. 

Strain the almonds in a mesh colander, saving the brown butter for your sauce. Lightly sprinkle the almonds with salt and set aside. 

Use the brown butter to make the delicious sauce. Flavor with minced garlic, spicy peperoncino (Italian extra-hot dry peppers), lemon juice and capers (if you like). Plate the polenta with the shrimp, drizzle the sauce on top, sprinkle with almonds and fresh parsley and enjoy!

Buon appetito!

PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD: Brown Butter Shrimp with Polenta 

Brown Butter Shrimp with Polenta

Yield: 4 appetizers (or 2 entrees')

Author: Manuela Mazzocco

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min

Crispy shrimp on top of soft and creamy polenta. All drizzled with a scrumptious almond and brown butter sauce

Ingredients

• 12 Gorton's Butterfly Shrimp
• 1 cup instant polenta flour*
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 oz unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• 1 or 2 peperoncini
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped fresh parsley, to top

Instructions

1. Cook the shrimp in your air fryer or oven, following the directions on the package.
2. Make the polenta: In a medium pan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and oil. Gradually pour the polenta flour while mixing vigorously to break up all the clumps. Lower the heat and let the polenta simmer, stirring often so it won't stick to the bottom. Cook for about 5 minutes if instant, or about 30 minutes it not, until it pulls away from the sides of the pan. Keep warm. Season with more salt (if needed), pepper and grated Parmesan cheese if you like.
3. Make the toasted almond brown butter: in a small pan melt the butter. When it starts to foam add the almonds. Cook over medium heat until the butter begins to brown and the almonds are toasted, about 5 minutes. Watch closely not to burn. Strain through a mesh colander, saving the butter. Sprinkle the almond lightly with salt and set aside.
4. Make the brown butter sauce: Place the brown butter back in the pan over medium heat. Add garlic, capers, peperoncino, chicken stock and lemon juice. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Plate: Divide the polenta into four plates. Top with three shrimp, drizzle with the butter sauce, and sprinkle with the toasted almonds. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve when still hot.

Notes:

Cooking time increases by 20 minutes if using regular (not instant) polenta flour

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