Rush-Hour Gourmet
Anyone who has eaten at the Hominy Grill in Charleston, S.C., knows that owners Robert Stehling and Nunally Kersh do great things with Southern food. This is a recipe born of necessity, although its appeal is easy to appreciate. It calls for leftover corn bread and cooked shrimp, whose sweetnesses complement. The texture and zip of the burgers depend on the prep and how much hot pepper sauce goes into the mix.
Anyone who has eaten at the Hominy Grill in Charleston, S.C., knows that owners Robert Stehling and Nunally Kersh do great things with Southern food. This is a recipe born of necessity, although its appeal is easy to appreciate. It calls for leftover corn bread and cooked shrimp, whose sweetnesses complement. The texture and zip of the burgers depend on the prep and how much hot pepper sauce goes into the mix.
Hominy Grill Shrimp Burgers
Makes 8 burgers (4 servings)
1 rib celery
4 to 6 stems flat-leaf parsley
2 to 3 scallions (root ends trimmed)
1 large lemon
1 pound cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp (thoroughly defrosted, if using frozen)
3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1 cup packed corn bread crumbs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1. Line a large plate with a few layers of paper towels.
2. Cut the celery into 1/4-inch dice, and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the following ingredients to the bowl: finely chopped parsley, thinly sliced white and light-green scallion, finely grated zest of the lemon (11/2 teaspoons), finely chopped shrimp (discard tails). Chop by hand, or process half briefly in a food processor to vary the texture.
3. Add the mayonnaise and corn bread crumbs; stir to combine. Season with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce to taste; mix well. Add the egg, stir until well-incorporated; the mixture should barely hold together as you form eight 4-inch burgers.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet, preferrably nonstick, over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add 4 burgers and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottom, then use 2 spatulas to carefully turn and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until evenly browned. Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate; cover loosely with foil. Repeat with remaining burgers.
5. Serve on soft, warm hamburger buns or on top of lightly dressed salad greens.
Per two-burger serving (without bun): 240 calories, 27 grams protein, 14 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram sugar, 8 grams fat, 274 milligrams cholesterol, 599 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber