Shrimp Balls (who knew?) Appetizer Recipe

This appetizer can be made well in advance and fried just before a party or even fried in advance and re-heated.

Shrimp Balls (who knew?) Prep. time about 20 minutes.  Serves 4 but can be easily expanded.

1/4 lb. cooked shrimp, diced

2 Tb. diced celery

1 tsp. (heaping) Old Bay Seasoning.

1 egg

2 tsp. hot sauce

2-3 Tb. mayonnaise.

1/4 C. unseasoned bread crumbs

½ tsp. brown mustard

pinch of salt and pepper.

1/2 C. flour, seasoned with salt, pepper and Old bay.

1/2 C. Panko bread crumbs

1 C. vegetable oil.

3 Tb. sour cream,

1/4 tsp. hot sauce.

1 tsp. ketchup

1/4 tsp. dill weed.

Mix together diced shrimp, celery, Old Bay seasoning, salt, pepper and mayonnaise.  Mix salt, pepper into the flour and beat eggs with the splash of hot sauce.  Start heating the oil until a pinch of the bread crumbs dropped in sizzles and floats to the top.  Pull up small spoons of the shrimp mixture and use two spoons to make a rough ball. Drop in the flour, roll to cover, cover in egg wash and cover in Panko crumbs. Drop into the oil and keep a very close watch. As a side browns, turn and continue until the ball is golden all the way around.  Remove to a towel-lined plate or rack to drain.  Mix together the sour cream, dill, ketchup and hot sauce for a dipping sauce or used jar cocktail sauce.

Spear with toothpicks to dunk and serve.

*Can be easily re-heated in a toaster oven.  If you want more balls (and who doesn’t?), obviously get more shrimp and adjust the mayo, bread crumbs and celery to balance and custom seasoning to taste.  One egg and the amount of flour should be enough for at least a double batch.  Panko may have to be increased to cover everything in a bigger batch.

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