How to Make the Best Shrimp Cakes

By Arlene Correll                             

I love shrimp in any form or in any recipe.   So does everyone in my family.  Sometimes I find that I have more family and friends than I have shrimp.  Or should I say money for shrimp. 

Often, I find that the supermarket will have great sales on bagged shrimp, especially frozen shrimp and usually some of the best buys are the little tiny cooked shrimp.  When they have a “buy one, get one free” shrimp sale, I load up my shopping cart. I find this type of bargain shrimp can be used best in bisques or any recipe where the shrimp can be chopped up or diced.

In my “stash” of comfort food, there are many recipes for Shrimp Cakes.  I like these recipes because they are not the usual fare for most meals in many people’s homes and can easily be used when having company.  Serving them along with a really nifty salad, good crusty bread, a nicely chilled Chardonnay, your best table linens, china, silver and crystal one can usually dazzle the company.

However, they can also be used for a simple meal for two.  I find myself doing a lot of these in my old age.  Any leftovers can be frozen for a later time, or just reheated for the next day.  They can be the whole meal.  Or go well with things like macaroni and cheese or a small salad.  They make us feel good and they taste great!

Another thing I like about shrimp cakes is they can be assembled ahead of time.  I just put them on a large plate with wax paper between the layers or spread out on a large cookie sheet. I put them in the refrigerator until time to fry them.  I like doing a little cooking in my open kitchen where the family or guests are part of the conversation.  However, one can fry these up ahead of time and put them in the warming oven. 

Also shrimp cakes make great little appetizers, simply by making them smaller.  One can even make them into finger food by making little log rolls prior to cooking. 

Sometimes I take any of the below recipes and use them in egg roll wrappers for a snappy fast fried appetizer. 

Occasionally, I will take Arlene’s Shrimp Cake mixture and stuff some ravioli dough with them.  When in a hurry I use the wonton wrappers, putting one wrapper on the bottom, adding a tablespoon of mixture, brushing all the edges of the bottom wonton with an egg-wash , place another wonton wrapper on top and press down all the sides, leaving the little bump in the center.  I can then either place in boiling water until they float to the top, drain and then serve with my favorite light pasta sauce.  Or I can deep fry them and serve with a sweet and sour sauce.

The possibilities are endless with these recipes.

Here are some of my favorite recipes I have collected over the years.

Arlene’s Shrimp Cakes

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1/4 cup chopped onion

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard

• 1 cup light cream

• salt and pepper -- to taste

• 1 pound shelled cooked shrimp, chopped

• cracker crumbs

• butter

Sauce:

• 1 cup mayonnaise

• 1/2 cup chopped ripe olives

• 1 tablespoon fresh dill -- minced

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 lb Shrimp, cleaned & deveined
1 Medium onion, minced
2 Eggs, slightly beaten
1-cup seasoned breadcrumbs
3/4 cup Green onions, minced
Zatarain’s Creole Seasoning to taste
1-cup Zatarain’s Crispy Southern Style Fish Fri
1 cup Vegetable oil

Note: Crab meat may be used in place of shrimp. Any type fish may be substituted.

SHRIMP CAKES WITH TWO SAUCES

1/2 cup water
1 1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 TBS butter
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups saltine cracker crumbs
Cayenne pepper to taste
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup mayonnaise
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Fresh bread crumbs (approximately 3 cups)
Vegetable oil for frying

In a large mixing bowl, combine celery, saltine cracker crumbs, cayenne pepper, eggs, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and chopped shrimp. Mix well. If the mixture does not hold a shape, add a small amount of bread crumbs (1/4 - 1/2 cup). Shape into 16 small cakes. Refrigerate the shrimp cakes for at least 30 minutes. Prior to cooking, evenly coat the cakes with bread crumbs.

In the large skillet, add vegetable oil to remaining butter, approximately 1/2 inch in depth. Heat to medium high and cook the shrimp cakes, a few at a time until golden brown (6-8 minutes total). Transfer to paper towels and drain. Serve immediately with avocado butter and red pepper cream. 6 servings.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup flour
2 large eggs
5 tbsp. water
1 bunch of scallions, finely chopped
2 tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
1/2 lb. shelled small shrimp
salt, pepper and paprika to taste
olive oil for frying

Directions:
Mix the flour and the eggs in a bowl. Add water and stir into a smooth batter.

Add scallions, parsley and shrimp. Season with salt, pepper and paprika. Let stand to rest for half an hour or more.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Spoon in about 2 tablespoons of batter at a time; flatten with the back of the spoon into a thin pancake. Fry on each side until golden. Serve immediately.

Shrimp Cakes Florentine

Makes 4 servings

Chop the shrimp into small pieces (if you use a food processor, be careful not to pulverize the shrimp). Combine with the spinach, herbed cheese, and half of the bread crumbs. Place the remaining bread crumbs on a sheet of foil. Divide the shrimp mixture into 8 balls. Place the shrimp balls, one at a time, in the bread crumbs, flattening and turning several times to coat each cake thoroughly. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the cakes on both sides until they are golden brown and heated through, about 4 minutes per side. Serve with lemon wedges.

Thai Spicy Shrimp Cakes (Tod Man Pla,)

 Ingredients

Preparation:

Remove shells and devein shrimps. In large mixing bowl, combine shrimp, red curry paste, fish sauce, egg, and sugar. Beat mixture in food processor on high speed until mixture turns paste-like.

Cooking Procedures:

Heat oil to 375 degrees. Drop tablespoons of the shrimp mixture into the oil, until mixture is used up. Deep fry until the shrimp cakes are cooked. They should look red-brown in color. Serve with a nice thinly sliced cucumber salad.

Tips:

You can buy Thai curry paste in most oriental groceries, or find a good Thai cookbook. They vary in strength, start small and work up.

Red Quinoa Shrimp Cakes   

Red Quinoa - Considered a "supergrain", quinoa is the only grain that has all eight essential amino acids. With a rich color and unique texture, quinoa adds value to any plate. Perfect for vegetarian dishes. One can usually get this in a health food store, specialty store or on the internet.                               

6 tsp Sesame Oil
3/4 cup Flour
1 1/2 cups Scallions (fine dice)
1 1/2 cup Water Chestnuts (fine dice)
1 lb fresh Shrimp (cleaned and diced)
6 Eggs (lightly beaten)
3 Tbsp light Soy Sauce
1 tsp Tabasco
1/2 tsp Salt
Peanut Oil (to sauté the cakes in)

Mix the following ingredients together and serve with cakes:
16 oz Sour Cream
Zest from one large Lemon
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

Drizzle sesame oil over Red Quinoa and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Lightly coat pan with peanut oil and heat on stove over medium high heat. Add 1/4 cup of mixture to hot pan for each and form 1/2 inch round cakes. Sauté until cake is firm and both sides are lightly browned. Serve with sour cream mixture.

Ingredients

1/2 lb Italian bread crumbs (Use 2/3 of crumbs in        mixture and 1/3 for dipping)
1 1/4 lb cooked shrimp -- chopped
5    eggs – beaten  (use half the beaten eggs in the mixture and half for dipping)
1/2 c  parsley -- chopped
1/2 c  mayonnaise
3 tbsp  Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Directions
Mix all ingredients to blend thoroughly. For each cake, shape 1/4
cup of batter into a patty 1 inch thick. Dip into additional beaten
eggs and coat with additional bread crumbs. Deep fry at 350 degrees until
golden and crisp, about 3 minutes for each. Garnish with lemon wedges.

Shrimp Cakes with Dill Sauce

Sauce:

Melt butter and cook onion in it until soft. Stir in flour, mustard, cream, and salt and pepper to your taste. When thick and smooth, add chopped shrimp. Refrigerate until chilled; form into cakes. Roll cakes in cracker crumbs and sauté in butter. Serve with sauce. Serves 4.
Sauce: Combine sauce ingredients and chill.

Preparations:

Mince and combine the shrimps, fat pork and water chestnuts; add dissolved cornstarch and seasonings, stir well.

Trim the bread into rounds and spread with shrimp paste.

Put egg yolk, like sunflower petals, around the shrimp paste; beat the egg white till firm, spread over the shrimp paste, insert melon seeds into the egg white, deep-fry in 5-fold hot oil over a medium heat till the bread turns golden brown.

SHRIMP CAKES WITH LIME SAUCE

Lime Sauce (recipe below)

LIME SAUCE

• 1 c. reduced-calorie sour cream

• 1 tsp. grated lemon rind

• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• Combine all ingredients, whisking until well blended. (1 c. sauce)

Rock Shrimp Cakes  (MAKES 2 DOZEN HORS D'OEUVRES)

1/2 pound rock shrimp or shelled and deveined medium shrimp, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, for dusting
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups finely chopped kataifi  ( kataifi is a finely shredded wheat used in many Greek pastries--in place of bread crumbs and will make the shrimp cakes extra crisp)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced chives
Vegetable oil, for frying

1. In a bowl, mix the shrimp with the orange zest, lime zest and 1/2 teaspoon of the lemon zest. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

2. Put the flour, eggs and kataifi in separate bowls. Divide the shrimp mixture in half. Using lightly oiled hands, shape each half into twelve 1/3-inch-thick cakes. Dip each shrimp cake in the flour and shake off the excess. Dip the cakes in the egg, then coat with kataifi. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate until ready to fry.

3. In a medium bowl, whip the cream until firm. Stir in the lemon juice, chives and the remaining 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Preheat the oven to 300°. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil until shimmering. Add 6 to 8 shrimp cakes and fry over moderately high heat until browned and crisp, about 2 minutes per side; lower the heat to moderate if the oil gets too hot. Transfer the cakes to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat the process with the remaining shrimp cakes, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.

5. Arrange the shrimp cakes on a warm platter and top each one with a small spoonful of the lemon whipped cream. Serve the cakes hot or warm.

MAKE AHEAD The shrimp cakes can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

DIRECTIONS:
Puree sole in food processor until smooth; transfer to a bowl and mix with shrimp, scallions, chives, lemon juice, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and cayenne. Form mixture into 8 patties. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Heat a sauté pan with 1/4-inch of canola oil over medium high heat. Dredge shrimp cakes in flour, shake off excess flour, and sauté cakes for 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove cakes from pan and place on paper towels.

Cool & Spicy Cucumber Salsa:

Directions: Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Serve over shrimp cakes.

Shrimp and Wild Rice Cakes with Roasted Pepper-Dill Aioli

Directions

1. Mix flour, baking powder and OLD BAY® in a large bowl. Stir in shrimp, cooked rice, green onions, dill seed and thyme. Add butter, milk and eggs; gently stir until well blended.

2. Heat a large nonstick pan, coated with cooking spray, over medium heat. With a tablespoon, drop shrimp batter into skillet. Cook cakes in small batches, 5 minutes per side, or until done and lightly brown. Set aside and keep warm.

3. Combine all aioli ingredients in a medium bowl; mix well. Serve with warm shrimp cakes.

*To toast seeds: Heat a small skillet over medium heat 2 minutes. Add dill seeds and toast, shaking pan constantly until seeds are fragrant (about 1 minute). Remove seeds from skillet immediately. Allow to cool.

**May substitute with light or fat-free mayonnaise.

Do-Ahead Suggestions: Shrimp cakes can be made up to 24 hours ahead, cooled, wrapped, and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes. The aioli can be made up to 24 hours and refrigerated in a covered container until ready to serve.

SHRIMP CAKES WITH CHOY SUM                   

1.25 kg uncooked shrimps, peeled, deveined
3 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 birdseye chilies, seeded, chopped
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon finely grated lime rind
2 tablespoons olive oil
500g choy sum, trimmed
1/3 cup sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce

brown and just cooked through; keep warm. Boil, steam or microwave choy sum until just wilted, drain well. Serve shrimp cakes and choy sum with combined sweet chili and soy sauce.

Serves 4.

(This recipe came from the Gilroy Garlic Festival some time during the late 80’s)

To make shrimp cakes: Roast garlic at 350 degrees F. in a greased 1 quart baking dish covered with foil until tender, about 30 minutes. Cool. Squeeze garlic into bowl; mash. Stir in shrimp, 1/3 cup bread crumbs, sour cream, eggs, and thyme until well blended. Shape shrimp mixture into 8 one-inch thick patties. Mix remaining bread crumbs with chopped garlic; coat patties with bread crumb mixture. Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Brown patties until crisp, turning over once, about 5 minutes on each side. Serve with salsa.  

Deep Fried Shrimps Potato Cake 
Ingredients:
Nuoc Mam (see recipe below)
30 med. Shrimp (about 2 lbs., shelled, deveined leaving the tail intact)
1 large Sweet potato
2 cups Cake flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Fish sauce
2 tsps sugar
2 Cloves Garlic (minced) 

1. In a bowl, combine the shrimp with fish sauce, garlic, black pepper, and marinade for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile pare the sweet potato, slice it thin, and shred into thin strands.  Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and mix with 1 1/4 cup of water.  Stir thoroughly with a whisk until the batter is smooth and cream like.  Add the shredded potato strands to the batter and mix well.

3.  In a large skillet (or wok), fill up to 1 inch with cooking oil and bring to hot.  Using a saucer, scoop about 1 cup of batter into the saucer and place  3 shrimps onto the batter.  Gently press the shrimps half way  down into the batter.  Slowly pour the batter with the shrimps into the hot oil making sure the shrimps remain on top.  Fry 2-3 cakes per batch.

4.  Over medium heat, cook the batter shrimp cakes for 2 minutes during which time periodically scoop hot oil over the cake.  Turn the cakes over and cook the other side for 2 minutes.  When the cake are golden brown, transfer the cake onto a platter lined with paper towel.  To keep the finished cakes warm, cover the platter with aluminum foil.  Serve with Nuoc Mam

Nuoc Mam                                        
(Yield: 1 cups)

Ingredients:
2 Garlic cloves (crushed)
1 chili (chopped)
1/4 cup Fish sauce
2/3 cup Boiled water (allow to cool)
2 tbsp Fresh lime juice with pulp .
1 tsp Sugar
2 tbsp. Carrots, shredded

Preparation:
1. In a bowl, combine fish sauce with garlic, chili, lime juice,  sugar, shredded carrots and sitr well. 

2. Stir in water. (Add more water or fish sauce if needed).

©Copyright March 27, 2004 www.learn-america.com All rights reserved.

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