adapted from Gourmet - November 2009

1 cup cornmeal

4 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 pound pancetta, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 28 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

Tomato paste, as needed

1 pound cleaned shrimp (I used Trader Joe's, frozen shrimp, uncooked then thawed)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

To make polenta: Dissolve cornmeal into 1 cup cold water. Stir to combine, eliminating any lumps that form. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Season with salt. Reduce heat to medium. Gradually pour in cornmeal mixture. Season with pepper and red pepper flakes. Whisk more often than not for about 10 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and the cornmeal is cooked through. Cover and keep warm.

Cook pancetta over medium-high heat in a large pan until browned. Remove pancetta from pan and set on a plate lined with paper towel to catch any excess grease. Pour off the excess fat from the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan over medium high heat. Add the pancetta back to the pan. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and let simmer for about 10 minutes. If the mixture is too thin, add a touch of tomato paste to thicken it up a bit. Add the shrimp and cook at a bare simmer for 5 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Spoon polenta into shallow bowls and ladle the shrimp/tomato mixture over the polenta. Top with chopped cilantro. Feel free to add a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese as well.