I know that I am getting old and showing my age when my children are gone for the evening and instead of getting all dressed up and hitting a night on the town with my husband, we would rather get into our comfy clothes, open a nice bottle of Zinfandel and make a gourmet meal at home.
I never thought we would be one of those couples (you know, like our parents). I have to say though, I would take it over any other date night at a restaurant. There's just nothing like being in the comforts of your own home and creating a new meal together.
This one was supposed to be Traeger recipe, but I was too lazy to go out and get bacon that I forgot, so it morphed into a completely different dish. Then, I decided it needed a little color, so I made marinated tomatoes. As I was working on the two pieces of the meal, I took it one step further and added the stacked element. Now my husband has never been a fan of polenta, but he is hooked now. All the flavors melded together so beautifully. Can't wait for our next date night!!!
Rosemary Lemon Grilled Shrimp with Marinated Tomato and Polenta Stacks
Dedicated To Date Nights
For the Marinated Tomatoes:
1 pint red grape tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon jarred pesto
1 clove garlic, pressed
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
Halve the tomatoes and add them to a gallon plastic zippered storage bag. Add the olive oil, vinegar, parsley, pesto, garlic, salt and pepper. Seal the bag well and give a little shake to get all the flavoring around the tomatoes. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
While the tomatoes are marinating....
For the shrimp:
1 pound cleaned large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails off
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Rinse shrimp well under cold running water and dry thoroughly on paper towels and set aside.
Make the shrimp marinade. In a large bowl combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and rosemary. Add the shrimp and coat well. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
For the polenta, I just purchased the pre-made tube of prepared polenta and cut it into half inch slices. Heat saute pan to medium heat with a teaspoon of olive oil. Add polenta slices and sear until fully warmed through and golden brown on each side.
For the shrimp, heat a grill pan to medium-high heat and let it get very hot. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook about 3-4 minutes on each side, until fully cooked and pink.
When ready to plate, place one slice of the cooked polenta, add a small spoonful of marinated tomatoes and repeat. Top with a little crumbled gorgonzola cheese. Place the grilled shrimp and remaining tomatoes around the polenta stack.
