This Louisiana style Gumbo Gravy is served over polenta instead of the typical white rice. Polenta is a nice alternative to rice and can be cooked a variety of ways. I first became familiar with polenta while living in Italy.
“Polenta is a dish native to Italy and, similar to grits, is a coarsely ground corn product. Polenta is made with a variety of corn called “flint,” which contains a hard starch center. This hard starch provides a distinctly granular texture even after cooking. Polenta can be served hot and creamy or allowed to cool and then sliced. Sliced polenta is often further fried or sautéed before serving for added texture. Polenta can be cooked with stock instead of water for added flavor and can have herbs or other ingredients added during the cooking process.
Polenta can be purchased dry or cooked. Cooked polenta is often found in tube form, which can then be sliced and then fried, sautéed, or grilled.” (http://foodreference.about.com/od/Ingredients_Basics/a/Cornmeal-Vs-Grits-Vs-Polenta.htm)
If desired, this Gumbo Gravy can be served over grits or white rice. Serve with buttered bread for a complete meal.
Buon Appetito!
Gumbo Gravy over Polenta
adapted from:http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/gumbo-gravy-grits-50400000125872/
to make browned flour, heat a cast iron skillet over medium low heat. Add flour and stir frequently with a wooden spoon until flour turns a deep golden brown.
nutritional info is calculated figuring 1/2 cup cooked polenta per serving
- Prep Time : 30 minutes
- Cook Time : 20 minutes
- Yield : 4 servings
Ingredients
- large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined - 1 pound
- Cajun seasoning (Mccormick brand is gf) - 1 1/2 tsp.
- Andouille sausage, diced - 6 ounces
- vegetable cooking spray
- vegetable oil - 2 tsp.
- diced sweet onion - 1 cup
- diced green bell pepper - 1/2 cup
- garlic cloves, minced - 2
- browned flour (for clean eating, use whole wheat flour) - 2 Tbsp.
- reduced sodium, fat-free chicken broth - 1 cup
- sliced fresh okra - 1 cup
- plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced - 2
- 3 cups cooked Polenta or more if desired
- garnish: chopped green onions
Instructions
- Toss shrimp in Cajun seasoning in a medium bowl.
- Cook sausage in a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Add oil, onion, and next 2 ingredients; sauté 3 minutes or until tender.
- Sprinkle Browned Flour over sausage mixture; stir until blended.
- Stir in chicken broth, and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, stirring often, and boil, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes or until thickened.
- Add shrimp, okra, and tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Serve over cooked polenta.
