Are you a dine in or dine out type of person on Valentine’s Day? Or Galentine’s, for that matter.

I can go either way. I like creating a not-so-everyday meal at home, but I also love to go out. It feels so extravagant, having a fancy meal in the middle of the work week.

I don’t have a Valentine this year, but I have a suggestion for those of you who do: Both. An elaborate dinner out on Sunday and an indulgent meal at home on the actual holiday, complete with wine and candles. Best of both worlds. Valentine’s calories don’t count, after all.

I have a second suggestion. This polenta with cheese, mushrooms, and Argentine red shrimp. If either you or your partner is not a seafood fan, a flank steak could replace the shrimp. Or both for surf and turf.

If you are asking what Argentine red shrimp is, I don’t really know aside from it being shrimp native to Argentina, but it is known for having a similar flavor to lobster. The middle class man’s lobster, if you will, because there is no such thing as a poor man’s lobster in this economy. You can buy it in the freezer section of Trader Joe’s. It cooks similarly to regular shrimp, except for one thing. It looks cooked when it’s still raw, so timing is everything.

Can’t find red shrimp? No worries. Just use the regular kind. Absolutely no one is policing this.

Argentine Red Shrimp with Sauteed Mushrooms and Cheesy Polenta
Servings: 4
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Suggested wine pairing: Chardonnay

Ingredients
1 cup polenta (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
1 cup shredded cheese (I use a gruyere/swiss blend)
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
16 oz red Argentine shrimp
2 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup dry white wine
Salt and pepper, to taste
Lemon wedges and parsley, for garnish
Directions
Cook polenta according to package instructions. When nearly done, add in cheese, a bit at a time to avoid clumping.
Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet. When hot, add mushrooms and cook on medium high heat until browned, approximately 5 minutes.
Add butter, shrimp, salt, pepper, and garlic to the skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, flipping the shrimp halfway. Add the wine when you flip the shrimp. 
Serve the mushrooms and shrimp on a bed of cheesy polenta with lemon wedges and parsley. Enjoy!