Shrimp and Green Onion Pancakes with Cilantro and Lime Crema

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup chickpea flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional olive oil for frying
• 3/4 cup green onions, shaved
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Essence, recipe follows
• 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, deviened and finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• Cilantro and Lime Crema, recipe follows

Directions

Into a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, chickpea flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper.

In a saute pan set on a medium-high heat, add the olive oil and saute the green onions until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the green onions, parsley, Essence, and the shrimp to the dry ingredients. Slowly add the milk and stir to make a batter. Cover and let rest for 1 1/2 hours.

In a large saute pan set over a medium-high heat, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Spoon 2 tablespoons of batter into the pan and cook until bubbles form, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes on the second side. Drain on paper towels and repeat with the remaining batter. Serve hot with Cilantro and Lime Crema.

Cilantro and Lime Crema:

• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir well to blend.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from New New Orleans Cooking, by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.