Almond-Crusted Shrimp Cakes with Lemon Soy Mayonnaise

From the kitchen of Carly

Crispy almond crust seals in tender shrimp cakes with bacon and scallions, each bite releasing umami depth. The lemon soy mayo cuts through richness with bright, funky heat. These aren't your standard fried appetizers; they're sophisticated, craveable, and surprisingly light.

Almond-Crusted Shrimp Cakes with Lemon Soy Mayonnaise

Shrimp and bacon bound with just enough crumb, then crusted in almonds and pan-fried until golden. The trick is not overworking the mixture in the food processor, and keeping your hands light when forming the cakes so they stay tender inside while the almond coating crisps up. Lemon-soy mayo pulls everything into focus.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 3/4 cupmayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 tspsoy sauce
  • 1/2 tspfinely grated fresh lemon zest
  • 1 tspfresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsphot sauce, or to taste
  • 1bacon slice, chopped
  • 3/4 lblarge shrimp in shell , peeled and deveined
  • 1 slicefirm white sandwich bread
  • 1/4 cupmilk
  • 1/2 cupchopped scallions
  • 2 tbspchopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tspcornstarch
  • 3/4 tspsalt
  • 1/2 tspsugar
  • 1/4 tspblack pepper
  • 2 cupsliced almonds
  • 3 tbspvegetable oil
  • 1lemon wedges and fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

  1. Combine all of the mayonnaise ingredients in a small bowl and stir to blend. Chill until ready to serve.

  2. Pulse the chopped bacon in a food processor until finely chopped. Pat the shrimp dry and add to the bacon, then pulse just until the shrimp is coarsely chopped (no purée here). Soak the bread in milk in a shallow bowl until very soft, about 30 seconds. Lift the wet bread out, discarding any remaining milk, and add to the shrimp mixture. Pulse just to combine.

  3. Move the shrimp mixture to a bowl and stir in the scallions, cilantro, cornstarch, salt, sugar, and pepper until evenly distributed.

  4. Spread the sliced almonds across a large plate. Using a 1/4-cup measure, drop a mound of the shrimp mixture onto the almonds. Scatter more almonds over the top and press gently to shape into a 3 1/2 inch cake about 1/3 inch thick. Move the cake to a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Repeat to form 7 more cakes total, then discard any leftover almonds.

  5. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 12 inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Cook 4 cakes at a time, flipping once and rotating for even browning, until the almonds are golden and the shrimp is cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes total. Move them to a paper-towel-lined plate and keep warm, loosely tented with foil. Discard any loose almonds in the skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of oil, and cook the last 4 cakes the same way. Serve warm with the lemon soy mayonnaise.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Pat the shrimp completely dry before pulsing. Any excess moisture will make the cakes fall apart in the skillet.
  • Don't purée the shrimp mixture. You want small, chunky bits so the cakes have texture and don't become rubbery.
  • Form the cakes firmly enough to hold together, but don't compress them. Gentle pressing over the almonds does the job. Overworking makes them dense.
  • Cook in batches and don't crowd the pan. You need room to rotate for even browning, and the cakes won't turn golden if they're steaming each other.

Variations

  • Swap the almonds for panko for a lighter, crunchier crust, though you'll lose the nuttiness.
  • Add a tablespoon of fish sauce to the shrimp mixture instead of or alongside the soy sauce for deeper umami.
  • Serve with sriracha mayo instead of lemon-soy if you want more heat and less brightness.
  • Make smaller cakes (golf ball size) and serve as appetizers with the mayo on the side for dipping.

Make ahead and storage

Cooked cakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Freezing is not recommended because the almond crust will lose its crispness.