What can I say? I am always looking for new ideas for food and recipes. So often in fact, that my mind is just constantly, naturally, processing various input. Sometimes I have literally no idea where an idea comes from. Like in this instance for these Shrimp and Artichoke Cakes – what made me think of artichokes? And why a food processor? Where did shrimp come from?
I know I love a good crab cake, perhaps I was daydreaming about a more affordable option? Artichokes are good too, perhaps I was trying to think of ways to utilize them other than artichoke dip or a pasta dish? And the food processor – well, I love any recipe that doesn’t require a cutting board and knife. One stop chop, I call it! Since I can’t know for sure, this recipe post comes with no clever story; no long lost tale of origin. Simply put, I love these ingredients, I love the preparation method and I love the end result. Easy, fast, accessible, for the most part affordable and best of all, super-duper-delish. See for yourself!
The beauty of this recipe is that it takes place in two vessels – the food processor and a big mixing bowl. I start by making the binder by whisking together an egg, mayo, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne.
Then, I use the food processor to do all the chopping. Start by chopping garlic and parsley, then drop this into the mayo mixture. Next, chop the artichokes. Pour those into the mayo mixture.
Then, chop the shrimp in the processor too. And, you guessed it, add to the mayo mixture.
Stir in some breadcrumbs and our “cake” base is born. Shape into 10 1/4-cup balls or patties.
Sear the patties in olive oil over medium heat. The trick is to sear them over hot enough heat that they turn golden brown and crispy on the outside, but on low enough heat that they have enough time to cook all the way through on the inside. Play around with the heat as necessary to maintain this perfect balance, and cover with a lid to help expedite the cooking process. It should only take about 3 minutes per side, which means dinner is ready in a jiffy.
You see in the photo that I paired my shrimp and artichoke cakes with a mixed greens salad. I had some avocado, celery, pistachios and baby greens, so I tossed them with some extra virgin olive oil and white balsamic vinegar to serve alongside my cakes. It felt so light and French! Delightful! These are so simple, I suggest keeping the whole meal simple, but if you want something more substantial I think orzo or Zucchini noodles or cauliflower puree would all be tasty accompaniments. Bon Appétit!
Quick and easy these shrimp and artichoke cakes are delightfully delicious!
Ingredients
Scale
1 egg, large
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 pinch of cayenne
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, peeled
generous handful fresh parsley leaves
1 14-ounce can artichokes, drained
1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined, tails removed
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
2–3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, mayonnaise, Dijon, fresh lemon juice, cayenne, paprika, kosher salt and black pepper.
Arrange the shrimp on a plate lined with paper towels. Let them dry as you prep other ingredients.
Place the clove of garlic in the food processor along with a very generous handful of fresh parsley leaves. Process until mixture is finely chopped. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides once or twice. Scrape garlic and parsley into the egg mixture.
Strain the can of artichokes then place in the food processor. Chop until small but still slightly chunky. Scrape into the egg mixture.
Pat the tops of the shrimp dry, then transfer to the food processor. Pulse until mixture is pasty. It shouldn’t be totally smooth but it should become small and sticky. Pour into the egg mixture.
Fold together all the ingredients so shrimp is evenly distributed, then stir in the panko breadcrumbs. Shape into 10 balls.
Warm a large saute pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, enough to evenly coat the bottom of the pan, then warm. Once oil is fairly viscous, meaning it swirls around the bottom of the pan easily, add the shrimp and artichoke balls. Press down as you add them to the pan to form about 1/2 inch thick patties. Sear for about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown, then flip and cook the second side another 3-4 minutes until also golden and cakes are cooked through. Cover the pot with a lid or sheet of aluminum foil to help cook all the way through as they sear. You want to cook the cakes slowly enough that they can cook through without burning on the outside first, so adjust the temperature as necessary.
Transfer to a clean plate lined with fresh paper towels and season with a sprinkle of salt while warm. Transfer to dinner plates and enjoy while warm!
This is delicious.
★★★★★
Great idea! Yummy…
★★★★★