Shrimp and Pancetta on Polenta

Substitute for Pancetta: Try brown butter (toast your butter in the pan and remove it when it turns golden right before it burns and deglaze with lemon juice) and fried capers (strain and dry capers with paper towel and fry at medium-high in grapeseed oil; heat until it opens, strain into a pan with paper towel to dry out, season with black pepper. The butter would replace the fat and the capers will with the saltiness and texture of the pancetta.

• Anonymous

• Guelph, Ontario Canada

• 8/22/2022

Yummo !我已经做了这个2 x,两次我real polenta with parmesan cheese on the side which is a long, stirring situation - maybe will look into "instant" in the future. Used regular bacon both times - the first time with a lot of success this time the bacon was a little "mushy". Doubled the garlic. I also cook the shrimp a little in the pan and then just add it in at the last minute with the delicious sauce. Reminder to self to do the quick fry of the shrimp after bacon, before garlic. All good!

• HeatherNYC

• Miami now

• 4/1/2022

Good and easy! I will make this often.

• kfoernzler

• Cary, NC

• 6/29/2020

This was surprisingly tasty and it comes together quickly. I only subbed bacon and fresh grape tomatoes with small can of tomato sauce because I had them on hand, but next time I'll take SUZGAB's suggestion to sear the shrimp separately for better texture/flavor, add wine and nix the final oil drizzle. Polenta was delicious cooked in broth with touch of butter added. We served with salad for and nobody complained about it.

• lisakat

• Austin, TX

• 1/9/2020

This would make a great company meal, especially for gluten-free folks. I would serve it with a green salad for a side. Delicious and quick, with unexpected (good) flavors. I also made it with bacon ends and pieces instead of pancetta, because $1.44 for 4 oz instead of $5.99 for 3 oz.

• lilybeth29

• Portland, oR

• 1/23/2017

This is really good. I made half the polenta and shrimp for 2 of us and didn't buy parsley. I made the whole amount of sauce including the pancetta. Of course, it made more sauce than we could eat but it was easy. The pepper flakes give it a nice kick.

• karenfar

• Huntington Beach, CA

• 11/10/2015

Subbed out pancetta with bits of country ham, was a fun way to add back some Southern roots to the dish. Tasted great, need to watch adding salt to dish country ham adds plenty

• pderrico

• Charlotte, NC

• 10/28/2015

Made exactly as directed except did not use instant polenta - used Red Mill grits and added some parmesan and butter to make them creamy and Italian style. Will make again!

• knafzig

• San Antonio, TX

• 10/28/2015

I will be one of those annoying people that loves a recipe and tells you what I did differently. I probably never cook anything exactly as written, but I'm sure this would be very good as written as well. I sear my (s&p) shrimp first, set aside and then add shallots into the pancetta mix. I use grape tomatoes instead of tinned, and cook down with a little white wine. Add shrimp back in the end with the parsley. I cook the polenta in broth and add feta and butter. I was out of pancetta once and made it with chorizo and subbed out cilantro for parsley, adding corn and pepper to the polenta.

• suzgab

• New York

• 5/24/2015

As a topographic American (they used to call us Hillbillies), I am find of high-quality renditions of southern recipes. I tend to look for two main qualities in a recipe: flexibility & strength. I use the rating system extensively, and therefore assume that all highly-rated recipes will taste good (I haven't been disappointed). This recipe is both flexible and strong. The pancetta variation is great, and it will work equally well with sausage. The polenta/grits that form the base of the recipe can literally be any recipe you like, and the parsley can be exchanged for basil or cilantro (especially if you are trying to give it a nudge toward a Hispanic flair), just don't overpower the shrimp. In this recipe, I might prefer to rely a bit less on simmered caned tomatoes for the sauce, but the recipe is wonderful.

• wabsci

• carmel, in

• 3/1/2015

Was looking for something to use up some frozen shrimp and found this -- what a surprising treat. The pancetta really makes it something different and special. I didn't have polenta on hand, so served it over some frozen Risotto with Asparagus from Trader Joe's... Delicious. Will definitely make this again for an easy weeknight dinner.

• delonestar

• Austin, TX

• 1/25/2015

Made this as one of those "I have all the ingredients at home so that's what's for dinner" kind of nights. Pleasantly surprised, good flavor and quick. Used regular bacon after discovering I had no pancetta on hand.

• kshannon5

• East Grand Rapids, MI

• 5/25/2014

I saw 4 forks and I made it..not a big success...

• nellac

• 3/3/2013

Loved it! I also didn't have pancetta and had to sub bacon - it was delish, a keeper.

• lreynolds

• Houston

• 2/16/2013

Didn't have pancetta so I used some deli ham (don't laugh, it worked). Didn't have a can of tomatoes so I used a bunch of cherry tomatoes and a broth of white wine, tomato paste, veggie broth and bay leaf-fresh thyme-fresh oregano. And subbed basil for parsley. Added a good amount of parm to the polenta--which was reconstituted from the tube. We were in the clean plate club.

• gkostin

• DC

• 10/6/2012