Rock Shrimp Sauce with Jalapeño Hoe Cakes

Recipe courtesy of Florida Agriculture Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture.

Recipe Ingredients:

Rock Shrimp Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 (10-ounce) can cream of shrimp soup
1 pound peeled rock shrimp
1 tablespoon seafood seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Jalapeño Hoe Cakes:
2 cups self-rising cornmeal
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 large eggs
1/3 cup jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
Butter or corn oil for frying

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives for garnish (optional)

Cooking Directions:

1. For Rock Shrimp Sauce: Preheat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add garlic and sauté 1 to 2 minutes until golden. Add wine to pan and stir in soup; simmer 3 minutes stirring until smooth.
2. Sprinkle shrimp with seafood seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add shrimp to sauce mixture and cook 2 to 3 minutes until opaque and cooked through. Slowly stir in half-and-half and lemon juice. Keep warm.
3. For Jalapeño Hoe Cakes: In a large bowl, mix together cornmeal, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and milk until well blended; add jalapeños. Add the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed and moistened. Let the batter set for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Add oil to just cover bottom of skillet then heat over medium-high heat.
5. Pour 1/4 cup of batter for each hoe cake into hot skillet. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until tops are full of air holes; flip cake and cook until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and serve warm.
6. To Serve: Spoon Rock Shrimp Sauce over Jalapeño Hoe Cakes and sprinkle with chives.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe and photograph courtesy of Florida Agriculture Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture.