Sweet Cornbread Shrimp Cakes With Mango Salsa

This recipe just won top prize in the 2012 Martha White/Lodge Cast Iron National Cornbread Cook-Off. They sound amazing! Published in my local paper, The Virginian Pilot on 05/30/12. **NOTE: Fresh peaches OR pineapple may be substituted for mango in the salsa.**

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 12 shrimp cakes

Ingredients

• Cornbread

• 1 (7 ounce) package  cornbread, & muffin mix (Martha White Sweet Yellow recommended)
• 1⁄2 cup milk
• 1  egg, beaten

• Mango Salsa

• 3  cups  peeled and chopped mangoes (about 2 - 3)
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped red onions
• 1  large lime, juice of
• 1  pinch salt
• 1  jalapenos or 1  serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped cilantro

• Shrimp Cakes

• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1  cup  finely chopped celery
• 1⁄2 cup  finely chopped red onion
• 1  lb  uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and coarsely chopped
• 3  teaspoons  seafood seasoning (Old Bay is a good one)
• 2  large eggs, beaten
• 1⁄3 cup mayonnaise
• 1⁄3 cup  chopped cilantro
•  salt and pepper, to taste
•  butter (for sauteeing shrimp cakes)
•  lemon wedges and parsley (to garnish)

Directions

1. Bake cornbread mix according to package directions, using milk and 1 egg; cool and crumble.
2. Stir together salsa ingredients; allow to sit for 30 minutes. Serve or refrigerate until serving time.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in 12-inch cast iron skillet. Cook celery and 1/2 cup chopped red onion until tender, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Transfer celery and onion to large bowl. Stir in shrimp, seafood seasoning, 2 eggs, mayonnaise, 1/3 cup cilantro, salt and pepper.
5. Stir in crumbled cornbread until well blended. Using about 1/3 cup, form mixture into 12 shrimp cakes about 2 1/2-inches diameter. Place on a parchment or wax paper-lined baking sheet.
6. Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium heat. Cook shrimp cakes until lightly browned and shrimp turn pink, about 4 minutes on each side.
7. Cook remaining shrimp cakes, adding additional butter as needed.
8. Place cakes on a serving platter. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley. Serve with mango salsa.