Crunchy Shrimp Cakes with Cucumber and Peanuts

my new number one thing to do with shrimp

recipe # 180

This little number is from Food and Wine magazine. It is pretty simple, but involves the dreaded food processor which is the single most pain in the ass thing to clean in the kitchen. Whoever invents a self cleaning food processor should win a noble prize or a monument or something.

Crunchy Shrimp Cakes
DRESSING
* 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
* 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1 garlic clove, minced
SHRIMP CAKES
* 1/4 pound long beans or green beans, thinly sliced crosswise on the diagonal
* 1 pound medium shrimp—shelled, deveined and coarsely chopped
* 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
* 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
* 1 lemongrass stalk, tender white inner bulb only, minced
* 1 red Thai chile, chopped
* 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
FOR SERVING
* 1/2 green mango, peeled and sliced lengthwise into very thin half-moons on a mandoline
* 1 large Kirby cucumber—peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
* 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped roasted peanuts
* 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro
* 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped mint
1. MAKE THE DRESSING: In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce with the rice vinegar, lime juice, sugar and garlic, making sure to dissolve the sugar.
2. MAKE THE SHRIMP CAKES: In a small saucepan of boiling water, cook the beans until bright green, about 2 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
3. In a food processor, combine the shrimp with the coconut milk, cilantro, lemongrass, chile, fish sauce and salt and pulse to a chunky consistency. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and stir in the green beans. Form into sixteen 1/4-cup patties.
4. In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add the shrimp cakes and cook over moderately high heat until browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook over moderate heat until the cakes are browned on the other side and just cooked through, about 3 minutes.
5. TO SERVE: Arrange the mango slices on plates. Set the shrimp cakes on top and sprinkle with the cucumber, peanuts, cilantro and mint. Drizzle the dressing over the shrimp cakes and serve.


Simply delicious. Amazingly tasty. I will make this 100 more times and serve it to anyone who will try it. The mango, the green beans, the mint and fish sauce. This is one of the best things that I have ever made. Ever.

It is not really surprising. The Recipe is by Jean-Georges Vongerichten. He's hot stuff. He has a few more recipes in Food and Wine that also look wonderful.