Shrimp Cakes
Absolutely delicious shrimp cakes! Cooked
shrimp, formed into patties with cooked sweet potatoes, garlic, red onion,
breadcrumbs, jalapeno, cilantro, and spices, then fried.
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Yield:
Makes six large cakes.
INGREDIENTS
•
1 lb tan-skinned sweet potatoes
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4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
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4 Tbsp (or more) vegetable oil
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8 oz peeled, cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped
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2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
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2/3 cup finely ground breadcrumbs
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2 Tbsp finely chopped pickled or fresh
jalapeños
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2 Tbsp finely chopped red onion
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1 1/2 teaspoons spice mix (recipe included
below)
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Flour for dusting (1/2 to 1 cup)
Spice Mix Ingredients: notes: I did not make this but substituted with 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. of listed items
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1/4 cup cumin seeds
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3 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
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1 Tbsp coriander seeds
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2 Tbsp sugar
•
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
METHOD
Spice Mix Method
Add cumin seeds, peppercorns, and coriander to
a heavy medium skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant and
lightly toasted, about 8 minutes. Let cool a few minutes. Grind spices in a
blender or spice grinder (can use a coffee grinder that has been cleaned by
grinding raw rice) until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl, stir in sugar
and salt. Makes about half a cup. You'll only need 1 1/2 teaspoons of the spice
mix for one shrimp cakes recipe, so store the remainder for future use.
Shrimp Cakes Method
1 Pierce sweet potatoes
all over with a fork. Bake in microwave for about 15 minutes until done. Rub
one tablespoon of oil over unpeeled garlic. Cook in microwave a few minutes,
until soft. Let the garlic and sweet potatoes cool enough to handle. Peel the
garlic. Cut the sweet potato in half and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh.
Combine the cooked sweet potato and garlic in a bowl and mash until smooth.
2 Add the shrimp,
cilantro, breadcrumbs, jalapeño, onion, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the Spice Mix.
Mix until well blended. Season with salt. Use your hands to form the mixture
into six patties, 3-inches in diameter.
3 Preheat the oven to
375°F. Lightly dust the shrimp cakes in flour. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons
of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook the
shrimp cakes until nicely browned, adding more oil as needed, about 2 minutes
per side.
Place the shrimp cakes on a baking sheet. Bake
until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Tastes great served with lemon, tartar sauce, and coleslaw.
