6 tb Unsalted butter
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 c Yellow cornmeal
2 Bnlss sknlss chicken breasts
4 lg Shrimp
3 tb Olive oil
4 lg Scallops
4 Clams
4 Mussels
1 ts Minced garlic
2 tb Finely minced shallots
1/4 c White wine
1/2 c Chicken broth
1/4 ts Saffron threads
1/2 ts White pepper
1/4 c Whipping cream
Salt, as desired
Generously butter 9-inch square pan with 1 tablespoon butter. Combine 2
cups water, salt, and 1 more tablespoon butter in 2-quart saucepan over
high heat and bring to boil. Slowly add cornmeal, stirring constantly. Cook
until mixture bubbles, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and continue
to stir until mixture is thick and begins to pull away from sides of pan,
about 25 minutes. Pour into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Let cool
completely. Cut polenta into 1-inch squares or circles. Remove from pan and
set aside.
Remove tenderloins from chicken breasts and set aside on plate. Cut each
breast into 2 or 3 lengthwise pieces and set aside. Peel shrimp, leaving
tails intact, and devein them. Set aside.
When it’s time to prepare dinner, toss corn cakes with 2 tablespoons oil
and arrange on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees 20 minutes, turning once.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add
chicken pieces and tenderloins, shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, garlic,
and shallots. Add wine and cook 1 minute before adding broth, saffron, and
pepper. As ingredients are done, remove them from skillet and set aside on
plate. Remove scallops first, then shrimp. Remove clams and mussels as they
open. Discard unopened ones. Finally remove chicken. Add cream to skillet
and cook until liquid reduces and becomes sauce-like. Return all reserved
ingredients to sauce. Swirl in butter. Season to taste with salt.
To serve, mound corn cakes in center of platter. Arrange piles of chicken,
shrimp, scallops, clams, and mussels around corn cakes and spoon sauce over
seafood and chicken. Serves 4.
The Record, Northern New Jersey, August 25, 1991
Yields
4 Servings