Prawns and chorizo on polenta

Name: Prawns and chorizo on polenta
Total time: 2700 s
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 16 peeled and deveined raw prawns (I used 31/40 count); 1 medium onion, chopped; 2 links sweet dried Spanish chorizo, sliced 1/4 in thick; 6 cloves garlic, crushed and sliced; 1 heap tsp Spanish paprika; 1/2 cup dry sherry; 3 cups whole milk; 6 tbsp butter; 2/3 cup cornmeal; 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese; 1 handful Italian parsley, chopped

Robert Gonzal @robert

Vancouver BC

This is a variation on a Spanish tapa, served atop cheesy polenta. Poaching the prawns in oil isn't necessary (you can throw them into the pan at step 4) but doing so almost guarantees they come out perfectly plump.

Robert Gonzal @robert

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Ingredients

45 minutes

4 servings

16peeled and deveined raw prawns (I used 31/40 count)
1medium onion, chopped
2 linkssweet dried Spanish chorizo, sliced 1/4 in thick
6 clovesgarlic, crushed and sliced
1heap tsp Spanish paprika
1/2 cupdry sherry
3 cupswhole milk
6 tbspbutter
2/3 cupcornmeal
1/2 cupfinely grated parmesan cheese
1 handfulItalian parsley, chopped

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Steps

45 minutes

1

Put the prawns in a small pot and add enough extra virgin olive oil to cover them about 2/3 up. Turn the heat to low. Poach the prawns, moving them gently every so often so that each prawn gets a chance to soak in the warm oil. Poach until they just start to go pink (5 to 10 minutes). Remove the prawns to a plate and put them in the fridge. Don't throw away the oil.
2

Add a splash of the prawn oil to a medium pan on medium-high heat. Add the onions and fry 3 to 4 minutes until they're soft and lightly browned. Add the chorizo and keep cooking until the sausages release their oil and start to crisp, about another 5 minutes. Toss in the garlic and paprika and fry 1 minute more. Add the sherry and let the alcohol cook off, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and start on the polenta.
3

Add the milk, butter and a couple of pinches of salt to a medium pot and put it on medium heat. Add the cornmeal a little at a time, whisking continually. Cook for 5 minutes or until the polenta's thickened but still a little runny. Whisk in the cheese and add extra salt and pepper to taste. Pour the polenta into a platter.
4

Put the pan of chorizo back on medium-high heat. Once it's up to temperature, add the prawns and a good splash of the prawn oil. Cook for 2 minutes, just to warm the prawns through. Mix in the parsley, then pour the mixture over the polenta.