Polenta Crusted Shrimp with Mustard and Herb Mayonnaise

I am always looking for new shrimp dishes, and when I came across this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network, I thought it looked delicious. Besides, anytime you can get crispy shrimp by baking it in the oven, I think that is a good choice. This recipe uses a classic breading technique by first dipping the shrimp in flour, followed by an egg wash, then finally dipping the shrimp into the polenta. I used a medium coarse ground polenta, and I would recommend using a finer grind, or just plain cornmeal. The flavor was really good, but the coarse ground was a bit too "grainy". When I make this again, I will used a finer grain of cornmeal. In addition to the mustard and herb mayonnaise sauce, I also made some homemade cocktail sauce. I simply use three ingredients, ketchup, prepared horseradish, and lemon juice. It is really up to you how spicy you want it, I usually add a heaping tablespoon of horseradish, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to about a half cup of ketchup. Also, the mustard and herb mayonnaise makes a lot, so I just used it as a spread for some turkey sandwiches and for some tuna salad. It will keep in the fridge for quite a while.

Ingredients

Mustard and Herb Mayonnaise:

• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Polenta Crusted Shrimp:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups polenta
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail-on
• 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil (or non-stick cooking spray)
  
• Kosher salt, for sprinkling

Directions

To make the Mustard and Herb Mayonnaise:

In a medium bowl combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, parsley, and chives. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To make the Polenta Crusted Shrimp:

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Cover a heavy-duty baking sheet with aluminum foil. Combine the flour, sea salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour the beaten eggs into another small bowl. Mix together the polenta, paprika and thyme in a medium bowl. Working in batches, dredge the shrimp in the flour. Shake off any excess flour. Dip the flour-dredged shrimp into the eggs and then coat with the polenta mixture. Drizzle the shrimp, on both sides, with the olive oil. Place the shrimp on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until crisp and golden. Sprinkle with the kosher salt.

Serve immediately with the Mustard and Herb Mayonnaise and cocktail sauce, if desired