Quick and delectable dinner treat or appetizer, made with tiny pink shrimp (best eco rating for shrimp from the Environmental Defense Fund) from Oregon as originally posted or from the North Atlantic in the revisit and revise from March 2024.

After a wonderful weekend spent at the Oregon Coast this recipe seems inevitable.

In between crimson and gold sunsets and walks on the beach we ate our fair share of beach food. Including Oregon shrimp. Tiny tender and briny, ideal for salads and cakes, they come cooked and shelled and ready to eat. And they are sustainable and affordable so I can buy local and eat shrimp again without a nagging conscience.

When remaking this recipe in 2024 the tiny shrimp were slightly less affordable but still still delicious.

panko crusted shrimp cakes with two-citrus aioli

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

for the shrimp cakes

zest from ½ of a large lemon about ¾ tsp.
½-1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic minced
1-1.5 pounds tiny shrimp-squeezed dry
¼ cup panko
¼ cup greek yogurt

for the panko crust

2 T butter
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp fresh minced garlic
½ tsp black pepper (or to taste)
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp fresh rosemary minced
1 cup panko bread crumbs

for the aioli dipping sauce

¼ cup greek yogurt
¼ cup mayonnaise
juice from ½ lemon
juice from ½ Satsuma or other small orange
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼-1/2 tsp. orange zest

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450F

aioli dipping sauce

combine ingredients for aioli, stir well to combine and set aside until ready to serve (refrigerate, covered, if making ahead)
¼ cup greek yogurt, ¼ cup mayonnaise, juice from ½ lemon, juice from ½ Satsuma or other small orange, ½ tsp. garlic powder, ¼-1/2 tsp. orange zest

Shrimp Cakes

combine ingredients for shrimp cakes and mix well. Form into patties about 3 inches wide and ¾ inch thick. Place on paper towels or a rack and set aside. Refrigerate, covered, if not using immediately.
zest from ½ of a large lemon, ½-1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper, 2 cloves garlic minced, 1-1.5 pounds tiny shrimp-squeezed dry, ¼ cup panko, ¼ cup greek yogurt

The panko crust

To make the panko crust: in a small sauté pan combine the butter and olive oil and heat over medium low heat. Toss the panko with spice and add to oil mixture, stir to coat and until just slightly browned and heated through (about 3 or four minutes) remove from heat, allow to cool enough to handle. At this point you can move the panko mixture to a shallow dish or pie pan or simple leave in the saute or frying pan.
2 T butter, 1 T extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp fresh minced garlic, ½ tsp paprika, 1 tsp fresh rosemary minced, 1 cup panko bread crumbs, ½ tsp black pepper
Turn each cake in panko to coat on all sides, pressing gently to make crumbs adhere. Place cakes slightly apart in an oiled 12- by 17-inch baking pan.
Bake in a 450F oven until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Check browning midway through and flip (gently, they are very crumbly)if necessary for even browning.
Serve hot with aioli on the side.

Tried this recipe?Mention @recipefiction or tag #recipefiction!