Guilt-free Crispy Baked Shrimp Corn Cakes
These baked shrimp corn cakes are tasty appetizers which require a handful of simple ingredients and easy cooking steps. They are crispy, and the baking method makes them guilt-free.
When I studied in London, shrimp cake was a quick dish I came up with, and it was requested by my housemates for dinner every week. Those cakes contained shrimp and ground pork and were pan-fried until fully cooked. They were slightly springy and full of sweetness from shrimp.
Back to present days, my farmers market has been full of sweet corn since the last few weeks. I was curious if adding corn to my shrimp cakes would create interesting flavors, so I bought some corn from my local farmers and made a few batches to test. And yes, the sweet corn provides additional sweetness and crunchiness to my shrimp cakes. The addition of green bell pepper also adds crunchiness and a nice and light grassy aroma.
By the way, do you know that sweet corn kernels are also a great addition to pasta? I really like this mushroom sweet corn pasta combination.
Making baked shrimp corn cakes
The ingredients you need for the cakes are shrimp, sweet corn, green bell pepper, scallion and garlic. The cakes are then covered with a crisp panko crust and baked in the oven. I made them without the panko crust, and I think the crust makes them more fun to eat. You need ketchup and worcestershire sauce to make the slightly sweet and tangy sauce.
I admit I have a soft spot for crispy food. However, I want to avoid deep frying at home if possible, because it can heat up the kitchen and make the house smell horrible. Not to mention that fried food can be greasy and unhealthy. I’m happy that I have none of those concerns when making these crispy baked shrimp corn cakes. The panko is toasted in the skillet until golden brown. We then use the toasted panko to coat the colorful shrimp balls and cook them in the oven. They come out perfectly crispy, healthy and delicious.
For the best result, please use Japanese breadcrumbs (panko) which is fluffier and crispier than regular Western breadcrumbs. You can easily find them at Asian grocery stores. You can bake the shrimp cakes in advance and reheat them in the oven before serving, and they will still be crispy.
Summer is almost over, and I think this recipe is a great way to enjoy summer sweet corn. I’m enjoying these last summer days watching the U.S. open tennis tournament :).
Another tasty shrimp appetizer: Easy Baked Shrimp Toast.
Crispy Baked Shrimp Corn Cakes
Ingredients
For the shrimp corn cakes
- 10 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 10 medium-large shrimps)
- 1 large clove of garlic
- 1 ear of sweet corn
- 2 tablepoons finely diced green bell pepper
- 1 stalk of scallion
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- black pepper
- 2/3 cup Japanese panko
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the sauce
- 1 teaspoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Place a pan over medium heat, add olive oil and panko. Stir and toast for a few minutes until panko is golden brown. Transfer to a plate to cool.
- Slice garlic into thin slices. Add garlic and shrimps to a food processor/chopper and process for a few seconds until they become a sticky mixture. You don't need to process them into a paste, it's fine to have small pieces of shrimps in the mixture.
- Finely dice green bell pepper and thinly slice scallion. Cut corn off the cob.
- Add shrimp, bell pepper, scallion, corn, salt and pepper to a bowl and mix well to combine. Use about 1 tablespoon of filling to form small shrimp corn balls.
- Coat the shrimp corn cakes with toasted panko. Set a wired rack over a baking tray lined with foil. Place the cakes on the rack and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until fully cooked.
- In a bowl, whisk to combine ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Drizzle sauce over shrimp corn cakes to serve or serve sauce in a separate bowl to dip.
