Friday, May 17, 2013

Weekend Cooking: Shrimp Cakes with Chili-Lime Cream Sauce

 Staying with the theme I started last week...favorites in my house...I knew the next post would have to be Shrimp Cakes with Chili-Lime Cream Sauce.  My husband will frequently come home with a look on his face and tell me it is a good day for shrimp cakes.  I guess it is his comfort food.  

The recipe originally came out of the September 2005 edition of Bon Appetit, but I found it on Epicurious.  I'm not sure how I stumbled upon it, but I first made it as an appetizer for a dinner party about six years ago.  The result?  I think we all LICKED our plates.  It is that good.  Since then, it has been promoted from an appetizer to an entree at least once a month.  The recipe below will render 6 first-course servings.  At this point, I just double the ingredients.

Shrimp Cakes

16 uncooked large shrimp (about 1 pound), peeled, deveined
1 large egg
1 green onion, sliced
2 TBL fresh lemon juice
1 TBL Dijon mustard
1 TBL minced fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
1/2 tsp salt
Pinch of ground black pepper
2 cups panko breadcrumbs

Coursely chop shrimp in processor.  Add egg, green onion, lemon juice, mustard, cilantro, hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper.  Blend in using on/off turns.  Add 1 cup panko and blend using on/off turns.  Form mixture into twelve 3-inch-diameter cakes.  Roll cakes in remaining 1 cup panko; transfer to waxed paper lined baking sheet.  Refrigerate 10 minutes.  (Can be made up to 4 hours ahead.  Cover and refrigerate.)

Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Working in batches, fry cakes until cooked through and golden brown on both sides, adding more oil as needed, about 6 minutes.

Spoon 3 tablespoons Chili-Lime Cream Sauce onto each of 6 plates.  Place 2 shrimp cakes on each and serve immediately.


Chili-Lime Cream Sauce

1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 TBL chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 TBL minced shallot
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 TBL chili-garlic sauce (found in Asian food section of most groceries)
6 TBL unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Combine first 4 ingredients in heavy small saucepan.  Boil over high heat until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.  Add cream and boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to low.  Mix in chili-garlic sauce.  Add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking just until melted before adding the next piece.


Photo from Petit Chef


 




My kids can be pretty picky, and even they love this dish.  I make a few small changes when I am making this.  I do not use peanut oil, I use canola.  It is healthier.  I also add garlic to the mixture that you boil down for the sauce, and I strain the chunks before I add the cream (I don't like chunks).  I make my cakes bigger than 3 inches in diameter, and I always make way more sauce than the recipe calls for.  You could almost drink the sauce.  Yum.


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12 comments:

rhapsodyinbooks said...

I'm totally in favor of fish cakes of all kinds, but Jim won't eat them. booooooo

Beth F said...

Oh man.... I think I *need* to make these. Yummmmm.

JoAnn said...

I've just pinned this one and am adding to next week's dinner menus... this crowd will love it!!

Alice said...

I can almost taste the yummy-ness just by reading the title!

Julie P. said...

That sauce sounds positively decadent!

Heidenkind said...

YUM. This sounds so freakin' good. I don't have any shrimp on hand or I'd make it right now!

caite said...

This is going on my to make list. I Love shrimp..the sauce sounds excellent..and I totally agree about the garlic!

Carole said...

Love the sound of that sauce - am pinning so I can try to make it soon. cheers

Peaceful Reader said...

Oh yum. I would have to make this sometime when my husband is gone. He is allergic to shrimp but our kids love them. The sauce sounds wonderful even by itself.

Anonymous said...

My kids love crab cakes with a red bell pepper sauce so they may really like this. Have to put it on list to try!

jama said...

Yum, love fish cakes too and shrimp is a particular favorite. Thanks for the recipe!

(Diane) bookchickdi said...

I haven't made shrimp cakes in a while, I'm going to try your recipe. The sauce sounds tasty.