lemon garlic shrimp and asparagus with honey butter polenta
A 30 minute quickie for the rushed, the stressed, or the one who just needs comfort food.
Ingredients
- 1 lb large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 lb asparagus, trimmed
- 1 cup polenta
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 tbsp honey
- fresh basil, to serve
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp very dry and place in a medium sized bowl. Stir together the smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Add to the shrimp and toss until evenly coated.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium. Working in batches as needed, sear the shrimp 2-3 minutes per side until crisp and opaque. Add all the shrimp back to the pan (if you did batches). Add the garlic and 4 tablespoons of butter. Cook until the butter browns, about 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice. Move the shrimp to a shallow dish. Pour any remaining garlic butter over top.
- To the same skillet, add the asparagus, toss with any remaining butter in the pan and season with salt and pepper. Pour in 2 tablespoons of water and cover. Steam-saute for 3-4 minutes until tender.
- In a separate pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until slightly browned, about 2-3 minutes. Pour in the milk and 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a simmer, then add the polenta. Stir constantly until thickened but not all the moisture is absorbed, about 2-3 minutes. Add the honey and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until thickened.
- Divide the polenta into bowls. Top with asparagus and shrimp, and serve with fresh basil, as desired.