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Creamy Shrimp & Cheesy Polenta with Blackened Trout

Posted by Dee
Shrimp and polenta with blackened trout is an amazing weeknight meal. It's easy to prepare, making it perfect for busy weeknights and gourmet enough for even the fanciest parties.
5 from 56 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Cajun
Servings 6 servings
Difficulty Medium

Ingredients
  

Cheese Grits

  • cups stoneground yellow cornmeal
  • 5 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup smoked gouda, shredded
  • 1 tsp salt

Blackened Trout

  • 1-2 lbs trout fillets
  • blackening seasoning, enough to coat fillets
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil

Creamy Shrimp Sauce

  • 1-2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined, medium or large
  • 8 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped
  • Cajun seasoning, enough to coat shrimp
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
  • avocado oil, for sauteeing vegetables
  • 2 shallots, diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 stalks green onions, sliced
  • 1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

Cheese Polenta

  • In a saucepan, bring cream and chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Add a pinch of salt if using reduced sodium broth. Reduce heat to low and whisk in cornmeal, stirring frequently.
  • Simmer on low for 15-20 minutes. You can always add more liquid if the polenta becomes too thick. Remove from heat and stir in cheeses until melted and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Blackened Trout

  • Before starting, make sure your kitchen is well-ventilated. It WILL get smoky.
  • Preheat a large, heavy skillet until extremely hot. In a shallow dish or mixing bowl add melted butter.
  • Dip each trout fillet into the butter and coat both sides.
  • Season fish with blackening seasoning pressing spices into the fillets.
  • Add a few tablespoons oil such as avocado oil or olive oil to the hot skillet. Once shimmering add seasoned fillets to the skillet. Cook 2-4 minutes on each side until charred (not burnt!). Set aside while we make the shrimp sauce.

Creamy Shrimp Sauce

  • Peel and devein shrimp. You can purchase the shrimp already cleaned but be sure to double check they are fully deveined.
  • Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle shrimp with Cajun seasoning, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. As a reminder, you may not need salt if you’re using store-bought Cajun seasoning. Check the ingredients! Let rest.
  • Make the Bacon: Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. You can use the same pan you used for the trout but be sure to wipe out any charred bits first.
  • Chop bacon into 1/2 – 1″ pieces. Add to heated skillet and cook until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp. Remove bacon and let rest on a paper toweled line plate.
  • Make the Shrimp: Turn up the skillet you cooked the bacon in to medium heat. Leave that bacon grease in there! Add seasoned shrimp in a single layer to the pan. Cook until shrimp are just opaque, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove shrimp and let rest on a plate.
  • Cook Veggies and Aromatics: Add avocado oil to the skillet if needed. Heat oil and add shallots and tomatoes. Cook until softened about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, green onions and chicken bouillon and cook for another 30 seconds or until fragrant.
  • Deglaze the Pan: Add chicken broth to deglaze scraping off any bits at the bottom of the pan. Let come to a simmer. Lower heat to medium-low and then add the heavy cream. Let simmer for 4-5 minutes or until mixture is slightly reduced and thickened. We do not add any additional thickeners such as flour or corn starch in this recipe.
  • Add Shrimp and Bacon: Return the shrimp and bacon to the skillet and let heat through for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat, squeeze in lemon juice and stir until combined.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Assemble the Dish: Whisk in a little cream or chicken broth the polenta if it has started to harden. Serve grits on bottom. Then top with blackened trout. Pour the creamy shrimp sauce over the fish and polenta. Garnish with green onions. Enjoy!
Keyword shrimp and polenta recipe
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