Shrimp Sliders

Shrimp is not only a crustacean, but is a term used to define small, and my latest recipe combines both -- bite-sized Shrimp Sliders loaded with seafood flavor. It's a convenient and quick way to make a uniquely savory sandwich.

With this recipe I made 3 mini seafood burgers, which is quite a large serving. Get a few packages of bay shrimp and you can feed a small party. Of course you can use regular sized shrimp -- you just need to chop or mince in a food processor or blender. Since shrimp cook quickly, raw shrimp can be used with this recipe, too, just add a couple of minutes of saute time.

You are basically making a shrimp meatloaf like mixture with: sauteed veggies, breadcrumbs, some mayo and 1/2 of an egg. I seasoned the shrimp mixture with salt and pepper, but you could kick it up a notch with Cajun spices, or a favorite spice/herb blend.

I always find small 4 ounce packages of teeny cooked and frozen bay shrimp for a dollar. My local Albertsons chain grocery stocks them in the frozen deli case, and I often find them in 99c only Stores, too.  

So for a fun party platter serve my Shrimp Sliders -- or if all you have is a 4 ounce package of shrimp then my recipe below for 3 sliders feeds one fully, no problem.

Ingredients (3 Sliders)

• 4 ounces shrimp - I picked up a dollar package of cooked bay shrimp. You can use uncooked too.
• 3 tablespoons of bread crumbs - or 1/2 slice of bread fine chopped or blended.
• 1 tablespoon of mayo
• 2 tablespoons of fine chopped onion - any type. Many recipes call for green onion.
• 2 tablespoons of fine chopped celery - optional
• 1/2 small or medium egg - well mixed.
• 3 tablespoons of oil - for frying veggies and shrimp patties. Start with a tablespoon and add more if you need to for each shrimp patty.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• 3 small dinner rolls - Or you could make one or two large shrimp patties for Shrimp Burgers.

Dress the Shrimp Sliders with you favorite sandwich ingredients, including: lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayo, ketchup or mustard.

Directions
In a medium sized frying pan add a tablespoon of oil over a medium heat. Add chopped onion and celery. Saute about 2-4 minutes until tender.

In a medium bowl add defrosted bay shrimp. (You may need to drain them first.) If you are working with larger shrimp, then roughly chop them to about green pea sized. Okay to pulse in a blender.

Add all the other ingredients, including: bread crumbs, mayo, 1/2 blended egg and sauteed onion and celery. Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the ingredients together. Add a tablespoon of oil to a low/medium heating frying pan to cook the shrimp patties. Add more oil as you need it.

You want to make the patties about the size of your small dinner rolls. I used a tablespoon and got a heaping amount,scooping it into the heating pan.

Let the shrimp patty cook for about 3-5 minutes. But do check the cooking edges during the last couple of minutes -- you don't want to burn the patties. You can peek under the patty after a couple of minutes; you are looking for a golden brown color.

Turn the patty over and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes, until the liquid is cooked out. You can make a small slit into the top to check.

While shrimp patties are cooking you can slice the tomato and get out the slider toppings. When shrimp patties are done then assemble the sliders and enjoy.

Hindsight
It's easy to double or quadruple the recipe for a gathering. And if you are working with regular hamburger buns, then make one or two large shrimp patties.

Try cooking one shrimp patty to see how it holds together. If is is too crumbly, then add another tablespoon of mixed egg for binding. You could also chill shrimp mixture for a couple of hours to make patties bind better.

I like a few chunks of shrimp in the patties, but you could pulse the mixture finer in a blender.

I used small dinner rolls, but you could use any type of bun you like -- just make the patty large enough to fit the bread size. The shrimp patty is delicious just on it's own, if you are carb-phobic. You could even top it with my sweet Mango Chutney I made a few weeks ago (recipe here.)