Pepper Shrimp with Polenta Cake and Guacamole

I just come up with this recipe after I saw avocado and shrimps at a market. The spiciness from pepper shrimps goes well with the smooth creamy flavor from guacamole and polenta cake. I guess this is a kind of Mexican foods?


Pepper Shrimp
with Polenta Cake and Guacamole

(Yield: 4 servings / Cooking time: 1 hour)


There will be three separate preparations; Polenta cake - Guacamole - Pepper shrimps. Then, we are going to combine all the elements in a plate. Shall we?


Ingredients:

Polenta cake
+ 1 cup polenta
+ 4.5 cups water (or 2 cups chicken stock + 2.5 cups water)
+ 1 garlic cloves, minced
+ 4 Tbsp butter, small cubes
+ 1 Tbsp mascarpone cheese
+ 3 Tbsp grated parmesan
+ little bit of flour
+ salt and pepper



Guacamole
+ 1 avocado
+ 1 lime (we will need only juice for Guacamole, but keep the zest for pepper shrimp)
+ 1 Tbsp red onion, brunoise
+ 4-5 cherry tomatoes (or one tomato)
+ 1/8 tsp minced garlic
+ 1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
+ 1/8 tsp ground cumin
+ 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
+ salt and pepper





Pepper shrimps
+ 8-10 shrimps (2 or 3 per plate... depends on the size of the shrimps)
+ lime zest from one lime
+ 1 tsp coarsely grounded black peppercorns
+ 1 tsp coarsely grounded pink peppercorns*
+ 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
+ salt

* If you cannot find pink peppercorns, please use 1.5 tsp of black peppercorns, instead of 1 tsp black + 1 tsp pink peppercorns.

Procedures:

Polenta cake

1. In a pot, mix water (or chicken stock+water) and minced garlic and bring to a boil.


2. Add polenta while whisking constantly.


3. Cook polenta over medium heat about 25 minutes. Stir polenta with a wooden spoon continuously to prevent any polenta being stuck on the bottom of the pan and being burned.


4. When the polenta is cooked (smooth and creamy texture), turn off the heat and add cubed butter, mascarpone cheese and grated parmesan cheese. Stir well to incorporate all the ingredients.


5. Season with salt and pepper.


6. Pour the polenta to a small sheet pan and smooth out the top with a spatula. Cool to room temperature over countertop. When it is cooled enough, cover with plastic wrap and put it in a refrigerator to firm the cake.



Guacamole

1. Make small dices of red onion and tomato. Pick only leaf from cilantro and chop. Reserve some chopped cilantro for garnish.


2. Squeeze lime juice.

3. Cut avocado lengthwise around the seed. Open the avocado and and take out the pit by using your knife or a spoon.


4. Scoop all the flesh with a spoon and slice the flesh. Coat the sliced avocado flesh with lime juice to avoid discoloration. Discard all the excess lime juice.


5. Mix red onion, tomato, avocado, cilantro, minced garlic and season with ground cumin, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper.



Pepper shrimps & final plating

1. Shell and devein the shrimps.

2. Marinade the cleaned shrimps with olive oil, coarsely grounded (or crushed) black peppercorns, pink peppercorns and lime zest. Put in in a fridge for about 15 minutes.

3. While the shrimps are marinaded, take out the polenta from the fridge and cut into round disk shape with a cookie cutter. Coat with little bit of flour and reheat the polenta in a pan with little bit of oil. Once the polenta cakes are reheated, set aside and keep them warm.




4. Season the shrimps with salt lightly, and cook them in a pan with little bit of oil.

5. As soon as the shrimps are cooked assemble the dish. First, place a polenta cake on the bottom of a plate and spread guacamole over it. Place 2-3 shrimps on the top and sprinkle some chopped cilantro.


Enjoy~