Coconut Shrimp Burger with Piña Colada Mayo
December 5, 2017 by Nicole Collins
I so wish I was sitting on a beach in Hawaii right now.
Instead, I'm standing in my kitchen staring at 4 dozen cookies trying to pick out my top 24.
Do you have an idea how difficult that is? It's like trying to pick your favorite child!
You see, I'm entered in a Christmas Cookie Bake Off Competition today for a local radio station. I'm presenting my Chocolate Chunk and Crab Chip Cookies in the “Most Unique Cookie” category. So, I made a full batch of cookies even though I only need to bring 2 dozen. And, I can't for the life of me pick out which ones are coming with me to win me the prize!
Actually, I don't even think there is a prize. Just bragging rights. And, I'm cool with that.
So, I need you guys to send me some good juju today!
Back to wishing we were in Hawaii...
It's really starting to get too cold for me here in Bmore, and I even saw a little snowflake on the weather map for the weekend.
That is NOT ok!
So, warm weather has been on my mind a lot lately. I was actually just wishing that I could sit outside on my back deck and read in the sun for a little while since I have the day off today. And then I remembered it was December and gloomy and cold and bleck...
Since I can't pick up and jet off to Hawaii today, I'll just have to think of an alternative way to bring some sunshine in to my life.
Enter Coconut Shrimp Burgers with Piña Colada Mayo!
I've actually NEVER been to Hawaii. I know! Isn't that like a crime or something? It's definitely on my list of places to go.
But for today, we'll just have to let all the Hawaiian inspired flavors be good enough.
And let me tell you, it's MORE than good enough!
Let's start with the shrimp burger. Have you guys ever had a shrimp burger before? It might sound a little weird, and it's definitely not the prettiest thing you'll ever see. But, I'm telling you. They're soooooo AMAZING! They're soft and juicy. They're shrimp so they take on whatever flavor you give them. And, they're totally good for you!
For today's shrimp burger, we grind up some raw shrimp in the food processor. It goes really quick and only takes a pulse or two to be nice and chopped up for us. Then, we mix it with some sweetened coconut and panko; and we fry them up in some coconut oil.
Now, the ground up shrimp is a little gooey and sticky, so we have to let it sit in the fridge for a few after we form the patties. Trust me, don't skip this step. It will make them easier to transfer to the skillet without falling apart.
After we get the shrimp patties nice and golden, we throw them on a soft and sweet Hawaiian roll, and we top it with some leafy green lettuce, muenster cheese, and piña colada mayo. MMMMMMmmmmmm.....
Now, some people have REALLY strong opinions about mixing seafood with cheese. I think it depends on the setting. And today's burger needs the cheese. It adds a little salty note to an otherwise fairly sweet burger. And the muenster cheese is nice and mild, so it's not overpowering. Don't skip it.
If we weren't already about to throw on our bathing suits and pretend we were at the beach, this piña colada mayo will send us over the edge. It's so simple to mix up: just some mayo, some pineapple preserves, and a little coconut milk. That's it! It's sweet, and tropical, and a little salty, and totally delicious!
I feel warmer already. I can't wait to win this cookie competition today (*wink, wink); so I can hurry home, sit in front of the heater, make myself a shrimp burger, and imagine myself in paradise.
Enjoy, stay warm, and let's eat!
Coconut Shrimp Burger with Piña Colada Mayo
Serves: 4 Print
Ingredients:
For the Piña Colada Mayo
½ cup mayo
2 tbsp pineapple preserves
1 tbsp coconut milk
For the Coconut Shrimp Burger
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (thawed if frozen)
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 tbsp coconut oil
For the Sandwich:
4 Hawaiian rolls (fullsize, not slider)
1 cup green leaf lettuce
4 slices muenster cheese
Directions:
Make the Mayo: In a small bowl, mix mayo, pineapple preserves, and coconut milk. Stir until combined. Set aside.
Make the Shrimp Burgers: Place shrimp in a food processor. Pulse 2-3 times in short pulses until shrimp is finely chopped (similar texture to a wet ground meat). Transfer to a bowl. Add coconut, panko, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands until fully combined. Form in to 4 patties. Place patties on a wax paper lined plate, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 20 mins.
Remove patties from fridge. Heat coconut oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. When oil starts to shimmer, add shrimp patties. Cook 3-4 minutes per side until outside is light golden brown, shrimp are cooked all the way through, and the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.
Assemble the sandwiches: Place lettuce and 1 slice of cheese on the bottom of each roll. Schmear top of roll with piña colada mayo. Add shrimp burger to the buns. Enjoy!
Recipe notes:
*You don't have to eat all of the sammies at once. The shrimp burgers can be stored in a container in the fridge for 3-4 days and reheated briefly in the microwave. Just assemble the sammies when you're ready to eat.
*The ground shrimp is a little strange and definitely sticky and gooey. Grinding the shrimp will happen very quickly, so stick to no more than 3 short pulses. Placing the patties in the fridge will help them keep their shape while they cook.
*I wouldn't recommend switching out the cheese choice here. Muenster is nice and mild, and it's just salty enough to blend well with our burger. We don't want an overwhelming cheese flavors which others options would do.
*You might have some mayo left. That will keep in a container in the fridge for about a week and a half if you want to try it on some other sandwiches!
