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Shrimp Cakes with Creamy Cocktail Sauce Dressing

Shrimp Cakes with Creamy Cocktail Sauce Dressing
Beautiful shrimp cakes with a creamy cocktail sauce dressing served over simple romaine and blanched asparagus salad! Perfect for a light dinner or a leisurely weekend lunch. The shrimp cakes are buttery and tender with just enough cracker crumbs so they'll stay together. Similar to a good quality crab cake, but with shrimp! The dressing is creamy and zesty and adds great flavor to the simple but flavorful salad the shrimp cakes sit on. The salad dressing is a cross between a classic Louis dressing and cocktail sauce. I recommend making the dressing first so that the flavors have a chance to marry. You can even make it a day or two ahead of time. One thing that makes the salad interesting is that it calls for blanched asparagus. New to asparagus and not how far down to cut it? Check out this tip: https://bit.ly/3idF6Ki Easy substitutions make these shrimp cakes with creamy cocktail sauce dressing gluten-free and/or dairy-free! Use gluten-free crackers to make this gluten-free. And, substitute the butter with vegan butter or plant-based buttery spread to make this dairy-free. This recipe is great for entertaining! It's sure to impress your dinner party guests and its easy to double the recipe. It's also perfect for special occasions. Make this for your mom on Mother's day. Have it for an anniversary or birthday dinner. Who needs to go out and spend a fortune when you can make a restaurant-quality meal like this at home! No one part of this meal is particularly hard to make, it just has a lot of moving parts. Even though this salad is great on its own, I like to serve dinner salads with a side of french fries. It feels almost sacrilegious, salad with fries? You should try it though, you'll love it. I happen to have a recipe for crispy oven fries if you're bold enough to try it! https://bit.ly/3fk0Ty1
Cooking Method
Difficulty Medium
Time
Prep Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 32 mins Total Time: 1 hr 17 mins
Servings 4
Ingredients
    Creamy Cocktail Sauce Dressing
  • 3 tbsp chili sauce
  • 1 tbsp prepared horseradish
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 8 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp celery seed
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
    • Romaine Asparagus Salad
  • 1 bunch asparagus
  • 5-6 cup chopped romaine lettuce
  • 3 scallions
  • 1 large tomato (heirlooms would be delicious)
    • Shrimp Cakes
  • 1 lb raw peeled shrimp
  • 2 stalks of celery
  • 1/2 small onion
  • 3 tbsp cornmeal
  • 2 servings crackers (about 56 to 60 grams, any kind you like)
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • 2 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp ground coriander seed
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
  • 5 tbsp butter
Instructions
    Creamy Cocktail Sauce Dressing
  1. Measure and add to a small bowl or jar all of the dressing ingredients excluding the mayonnaise and mix.
  2. Add the mayonnaise and mix together thoroughly until you no longer see streaks of dark red.
  3. Cover and place in the refrigerator while you make the rest of the meal or overnight.
  4. Before dressing a salad give the dressing one more quick mix.
    5. Romaine Asparagus Salad
  5. In a saucepan or small pot, bring water to a boil with a big pinch of salt.
  6. Take your bunch of asparagus and cut the tips and part of the stem into 1 inch pieces.
  7. Place the asparagus in the water and boil for 3 minutes. While it boils put some ice and water in a bowl that a strainer will fit in.
  8. Strain the asparagus and place the strainer in the ice water to stop the cooking process.
  9. Remove the strainer from the water and pat the asparagus dry.
  10. Slice romaine lettuce, about 5 cups worths, and place in a large bowl.
  11. Thinly slice 3 scallions and add to the lettuce.
  12. Chop one large tomato and add to the as well as the asparagus.
  13. Toss gently to distribute the ingredients.
  14. Cover and place in the fridge until ready to serve.
    15. Shrimp Cakes
  15. Preheat your oven to 425°F and butter a large sheet pan.
  16. Finely dice the onion, celery, and red bell pepper and add to a large bowl.
  17. Finely crush two servings of crackers and add to the bowl.
  18. Add the cornmeal, spices, salt, and the egg to the bowl and mix.
  19. Pat the shrimp dry and roughly chop it. Add to the bowl.
  20. Mix thoroughly, using your hands is recommended.
  21. Melt the butter and set aside.
  22. Divide the shrimp cake mixture into 8 equal sections.
  23. Gently shape each section into a ball and place on the sheet pan. Press gently into a cake shape.
  24. Use a basting brush to baste each shrimp cake with a generous amount of butter.
  25. Place in the oven and bake for 22 minutes.
  26. Remove and let cool for a few minutes before serving.
    27. Putting it all Together
  27. Place a generous amount (about a quarter) of the romaine-asparagus salad onto a large plate. The smaller ingredients like the asparagus tend to sink to the bottom so make sure everybody gets their fair share!
  28. Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of dressing over the salad.
  29. Place two shrimp cakes on top (always be careful with these, they're a little fragile).
  30. Enjoy!
Read it online: http://mapletaffyandlousytomatoes.com.dream.website/recipe/shrimp-cakes-with-creamy-cocktail-sauce-dressing/