What’s on the Menu? Sheet Pan Polenta Shrimp
I’m not the one who likes to try new recipes. In fact, I rarely contribute to this section of the blog because cooking just isn’t my thing. But, eating? That’s definitely one of my things. And, just because I don’t get excited about trying out new recipes doesn’t mean I don’t cook…
My in-laws come for dinner weekly and while my father-in-law’s favorite food is red meat, his GI tract does not agree. So, this week, I tried looking for an alternative he might enjoy and decided to try a sheet pan shrimp that seemed like it would be easy to execute. It ended up being quite easy and quite tasty and will now be a frequent “go to” at our house. This is actually a recipe I AM excited about!
The recipe is from Molly Gilbert’s Sheet Pan Suppers. She does a great job explaining each step of the recipe, which makes it super easy to follow. I highly recommend this cookbook for creating easy, delicious meals. I skipped some ingredients and it still turned out great. My mother-in-law told me repeatedly how much she enjoyed dinner.
Here, I will provide the full list of ingredients as indicated by Molly Gilbert, but then I provide an abridged version of the instructions with the process I followed.
Shrimp & Polenta with Crispy Pancetta Tuiles
Ingredients:
8-10 very thin slices of pancetta
1 tube (18 oz) of precooked polenta, sliced into ½ inch rounds (in our local grocery store, this is found in the refrigerated produce section)
½ pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 ½ tablesoons EVOO, plus 1 teaspoon extra
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon fresh chives
1 generous pound 26/30 count raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line sheet pan with parchment paper.
Line the pancetta in a single layer on the sheet pan and bake for approx. 7 mins, until crispy. Remove from oven and move the pancetta to a plate lined with paper towel. (Keep the parchment paper on the sheet pan.)
Place the polenta rounds on the sheet pan, side by side. (I cut my polenta very thin because I don’t love the consistency of the thicker slices.)
In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes with 1 teaspoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Scatter the tomatoes on top of the polenta and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. (I used a full pint of tomatoes.)
Meanwhile, whisk together the 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and chives in a large bowl. (I skipped the chives.) Add the shrimp and toss to coat.
After the polenta and tomatoes have baked for 10 minutes, arrange the shrimp on top in a single layer – making sure the shrimp are not overlapping each other. Bake until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, approximately 8-10 minutes.
Top each serving with a pancetta tuile and pass grated, shredded or shaved parmesan cheese at the table. Serve with a salad and dinner is complete. Just one sheet pan and 1 bowl to clean.
Molly calls this recipe “a bit of an Italian slant on shrimp and grits.” The juices from the tomatoes and the marinade soften the polenta, allowing the consistency to approach that of grits.
I don’t eat pancetta, though the others seemed to enjoy it. Even so, I would say the pancetta is a nice touch, but not necessary. Next time, I’m planning to add zucchini in with the tomatoes. I also think I will buy an extra polenta roll and broil a few pieces on the side, perhaps with the pancetta and some cheese, and serve as a side dish to this main.
