Crab cake fans will enjoy chef Marc Ehrler’s golden shrimp cakes, a dish that reflects his years cooking in the Caribbean. Chef Ehrler, a 1991 Workshop participant, substitutes rock shrimp for crab, grated yuca for bread crumbs, and cilantro for parsley to make an appetizer that tastes like something you might find at a seafood shack on Martinique. A mango salad seasoned with chile and lime is the palate-tingling accompaniment. Look for yuca, the starchy root vegetable also known as cassava, in markets that cater to a Latin American or Caribbean clientele.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Salad
Shrimp Cakes
Preparation
Step 1
For the salad: In a large bowl, combine the mango, bell pepper, onion, cilantro, chile, rice vinegar, olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, and salt. Set aside.
Step 2
For the shrimp cakes: Peel the yuca and cut it into 2-inch chunks. Put the chunks in a saucepan, cover with salted water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer until you can just pierce the yuca with the tip of a paring knife, about 8 minutes. Drain and let cool. Grate on the coarse holes of a box grater. In a bowl, combine the grated yuca with the shrimp, egg, cream, cilantro, bell pepper, onion, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Mix with your hands to blend. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Shape each into a flattened cake about 3 inches in diameter.
Step 3
Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat. Add 1/4 inch of the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp cakes and fry until nicely browned on both sides, about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain briefly.
Step 4
Add the greens to the salad mixture and toss. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Divide the salad among 4 salad plates. Put 2 shrimp cakes on each plate. Serve immediately.
Step 5
Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc or another crisp and herbaceous white wine.
Note
Step 6
Because the shrimp cakes must be served fresh and hot, it’s helpful to prepare all the salad ingredients in advance so they can be quickly combined while the fried cakes are draining.
