Equipment
Ingredients
Creamed Feta Corn
- 500 g fresh corn kernels, cut from cob
- 45 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 shallot, minced
- 120 ml heavy cream
- 150 g feta cheese, crumbled
- black pepper
Shrimp & Sauce
- 600 g large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, diced small
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 5 g smoked paprika
- 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
- 60 ml dry white wine
- 10 g fresh parsley, chopped
- 15 ml lemon juice
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 650 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbohydrates
- 36 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 645 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 19 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 333 mg
- Potassium
- 1194 mg
- Calcium
- 336 mg
- Iron
- 2.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 131 mg
- Phosphorus
- 628 mg
- Zinc
- 4.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 347 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 77 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.6 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 52 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.35 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.51 mg
- Niacin
- 3.1 mg
- Folate
- 96 mcg
- Water
- 301 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the corn base. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and sweat until translucent, about 2-3 minutes, without browning.
Add corn kernels and heavy cream to the saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes until the cream thickens slightly and coats the corn. Stir occasionally.
Remove corn from heat. Fold in the crumbled feta cheese and season generously with black pepper. The feta should soften but remain distinct chunks. Cover and keep warm.
For the shrimp, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced red bell pepper and sauté for 4 minutes until softened.
Stir in minced garlic and smoked paprika, cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up any fond from the bottom, and let it reduce by half.
Add crushed tomatoes. Bring to a bubble, then lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes to meld flavors. Add the shrimp and poach gently in the sauce for 3-5 minutes, flipping once, until opaque and firm (internal temp 63°C/145°F).
Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and half the parsley. To serve, spoon a generous mound of the feta corn into a bowl and top with the shrimp and tomato sauce. Garnish with remaining parsley.
Chef's Notes
- Use block feta in brine rather than pre-crumbled feta; the pre-crumbled variety often has anti-caking agents that prevent it from softening pleasantly.
- If fresh corn is unavailable, frozen sweet corn works well, but thaw and pat it dry first to avoid watering down the cream sauce.
- This dish balances 'rich' (cream/feta) and 'acid' (tomato/lemon). Ensure you taste the tomato sauce before serving; if your canned tomatoes are very acidic, a pinch of sugar helps balance it.
- For a deeper flavor profile, roast the red bell pepper over an open flame to char the skin before dicing, mirroring the smokiness of the paprika.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store shrimp and corn separately if possible to prevent texture degradation.
Reheating: Gently reheat on stovetop over low heat; add a splash of water to the corn if the sauce has thickened too much.
Troubleshooting
Shrimp are tough and rubbery
Cause: Overcooking; shrimp cook extremely fast, especially in a hot sauce
Fix: Dice the shrimp small and stir back into sauce to serve as a 'ragu' rather than whole pieces
Prevention: Remove pan from heat the moment the shrimp turn pink and opaque
Corn sauce is too runny
Cause: Cream wasn't reduced enough or corn released too much water
Fix: Return to heat briefly before adding feta, or smash some corn kernels to release starch
Prevention: Simmer cream longer before adding feta
Cultural Context
This recipe bridges the gap between Southern American 'Shrimp and Grits' and the Greek flavors of 'Shrimp Saganaki'. The use of corn instead of grits provides a fresh vegetable base that highlights the sweetness of the seafood, while the feta brings a Mediterranean salinity that cuts through the richness of the heavy cream.
