Hushpuppies Stuffed with Shrimp Provencale |
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Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes |
Ready In: 40 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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Ingredients:
the vinaigrette |
1/8 cup red wine vinegar |
1 teaspoon dijon mustard |
1/4 cup olive oil |
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste |
1/2 cooked beet, cooled and pureed in a blender (1/2 canned whole beet may be used) |
12 large shrimp, raw |
2 tablespoons unsalted butter |
1/2 cup finely diced red peppers |
1/2 cup finely diced carrots |
1/2 cup finely diced bulb fennel |
1/2 cup finely diced celery |
1 large clove minced garlic |
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots |
1/2 teaspoon tomato paste |
1 tablespoon dry vermouth (pernot may be substituted) |
1 cup cream |
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley |
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste |
the hushpuppies |
2 cups self-rising white cornmeal |
4 teaspoons flour |
1/2 cup diced onion |
1 tablespoon chopped basil |
1 egg, beaten |
2/3 cup milk |
6 cups peanut oil for frying |
for the salad |
18 leaves each, red oak leaf lettuce, yellow chicory, and belgian endive, washed |
1/2 cup finely chopped chervil |
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, place red wine vinegar, mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir with a whisk until well combined, then add beet puree.
2. Shell and devein shrimp. Slice them on an angle into 4 pieces. In a medium skillet, heat butter and saute carrots, fennel, red pepper, shallots and garlic until vegetables are soft, but not browned. Add shrimp and cook 3 minutes, turning them lightly until they are just opaque. Add the vermouth, cream and tomato paste, then simmer for 4 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add parsley. Set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the 6 ingredients, blending well. In deep fryer, heat peanut oil until it reaches 350 degrees on a deep-fry-thermometer. Scoop up the mixture with an oval ice cream scoop to form 2-inch oval balls. Carefully place 2 or 3 at a time into the oil. Fry until golden brown, about 2 or 3 minutes. Place on paper towel to drain. When cool enough to handle, cut them in half and with tip of teaspoon carefully scoop out the inside cornmeal to form a hollow shell. Set aside in warm place. Arrange the 3 varieties of lettuce in center of 6 salad plates, and spoon vinaigrette dressing sparingly over them. Warm the shrimp mixture. Arrange 3 halves of the hollowed hushpuppies (per serving) on top of the lettuces. Fill with warm shrimp mixture and sprinkle with chervil. Serve immediately.
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