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a bowl of funche/grits with spicy shrimp
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5 from 1 vote

Shrimp and Funche

This is the most basic preparation for cornmeal.  Cornmeal mush is served as starch for any vegetable or protein, In this case, shrimp.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Servings: 4
Author: Zoe Morman

Ingredients

  • For Funche
  • Two and a half cups of broth you can use water if the broth is not available
  • Two cups of coarse cornmeal
  • Two tablespoons of butter
  • For Shrimp
  • One tablespoon of Olive Oil
  • One pound of 16-20 shrimp
  • Half an onion peeled and diced
  • Four garlic cloves peeled and diced
  • Half of a Choricero pepper or Ancho pepper, cut into strips and rehydrated.
  • One can of diced tomatoes
  • Twelve green olives
  • One cup of Fish broth preferably or available choice.

Instructions

For Funche:

  •        To make funche, you need to stay on task and focus for about 15 to 20 minutes. Otherwise, funche could not cook correctly, burn, and create a big mess in the kitchen.
  • Bring liquid to a boil.
  • Salt liquid to taste.
  • Stir liquid. Do not stop stirring for the next few steps. This is crucial!
  • Slowly add cornmeal to the liquid. Continue stirring.
  • Bring heat to low and continue to stir. Cornmeal will be ready when the tiny kernel bits puff up and soften, and the mixtures change from a dark golden yellow to a light yellow.
  • Add a tablespoon of butter once the meat has reached the desired consistency, and remove from the heat.

For the Shrimp:

  • On a saute pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil.
  • Add onions and garlic. Cook until soft and translucent.
  • Add rehydrated pepper strips. Heat through for about a minute.
  • Toss in the shrimp. Allow the shrimp to cook on one side for about a minute before turning them.
  • Turn the shrimp, toss it around with a spoon, and add canned tomatoes, broth, and olives.
  • Cover and allow to cook for about 5 minutes. If shrimp are still translucent, give it a few more minutes. You want the shrimp to be firm but not rubbery.
  • To serve: 
  • Add about a cup of funche to a bowl and ladle shrimps and sauce around the funche.  Top with chopped cilantro.