Equipment
Ingredients
Parmesan Polenta
- 400 ml chicken stock
- 100 ml whole milk
- 100 g quick-cooking polenta
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 40 g parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 3 g salt
Balsamic Prawns
- 300 g raw large prawns, peeled, deveined, tails off
- 45 ml balsamic vinegar
- 20 g honey
- 15 ml olive oil
- 2 garlic, minced
- 1 g red chili flakes
- 5 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 773 kcal
- Protein
- 52 g
- Carbohydrates
- 61 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 18 g
- Sodium
- 1693 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 13 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 292 mg
- Potassium
- 821 mg
- Calcium
- 417 mg
- Iron
- 4.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 96 mg
- Phosphorus
- 620 mg
- Zinc
- 3.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 185 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 47 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.32 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.36 mg
- Niacin
- 2.7 mg
- Folate
- 113 mcg
- Water
- 199 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a small bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, and red chili flakes. Stir well and set aside.
Pour the chicken stock and whole milk into a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to low. Slowly pour the quick-cooking polenta into the boiling liquid in a steady stream while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Simmer and stir constantly until thickened.
Remove the polenta from the heat. Stir in the butter, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and salt until melted and deeply incorporated. Cover with a lid to keep warm.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the prawns in a single layer and sear until the undersides turn pink and opaque.
Flip the prawns, push them to the sides of the skillet, and add the minced garlic to the center. Cook the garlic until fragrant, then pour in the balsamic mixture.
Let the balsamic mixture bubble and reduce until it forms a thick, sticky glaze that coats the prawns. Ensure the prawns reach a safe internal temperature of 63 Celsius or 145 Fahrenheit.
Divide the warm Parmesan polenta between serving bowls. Spoon the glazed prawns over the top, drizzling with any extra sauce from the skillet. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Patting the prawns completely dry before searing is essential. Excess moisture will steam the seafood rather than giving it a slight sear, and it dilutes your balsamic glaze.
- For the creamiest polenta, use a finely ground instant variety if you want speed, but remember that stirring a tablespoon of cold butter in at the very end creates a glossy, luxurious finish known as 'monter au beurre'.
- If your polenta sets up too quickly in the pan while you are finishing the prawns, vigorously stir in a splash of hot tap water or milk right before plating to loosen it back to a creamy consistency.
- Choose a balsamic vinegar with a slightly syrupy consistency if possible. Extremely thin, highly acidic vinegars will take longer to reduce and yield a sharper flavor that requires more honey to balance.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store prawns and polenta in separate airtight containers. Polenta will firm up completely.
Reheating: Reheat polenta gently on the stovetop, adding milk or water to restore creamy texture. Warm prawns separately over very low heat to avoid overcooking.
Troubleshooting
Polenta is lumpy
Cause: Polenta was added to the liquid too quickly or not whisked vigorously enough
Fix: Use an immersion blender to quickly blitz the lumps out before adding cheese
Prevention: Pour polenta in a very slow, steady stream while whisking constantly
Prawns are rubbery and tough
Cause: Prawns were left in the pan too long after cooking through
Fix: Cannot be fixed once overcooked
Prevention: Remove from heat immediately once they form a tight C-shape and turn completely opaque
Balsamic glaze is too thin and watery
Cause: Not enough reduction time or too much residual moisture from the prawns
Fix: Remove the cooked prawns from the pan temporarily, crank the heat, and reduce the liquid rapidly for an extra minute
Prevention: Pat raw prawns completely dry with a paper towel before cooking
Cultural Context
Polenta, a humble dish originating from Northern Italy, was historically made from whatever grains were available before corn was introduced from the Americas in the sixteenth century. It eventually became the staple carbohydrate of the region, celebrated for its hearty, comforting nature. Pairing it with seafood and a sweet-tart agrodolce-style balsamic reduction represents a modern blending of coastal and agricultural Italian culinary traditions.
