Hushpuppies Stuffed with Shrimp Provencale

• The Vinaigrette
• 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cooked beet, cooled and pureed in a blender (1/2 canned whole beet may be used)
• 12 large shrimp, raw
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup finely diced red peppers
• 1/2 cup finely diced carrots
• 1/2 cup finely diced bulb fennel
• 1/2 cup finely diced celery
• 1 large clove minced garlic
• 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
• 1/2 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon dry vermouth (Pernot may be substituted)
• 1 cup cream
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• The Hushpuppies
• 2 cups self-rising white cornmeal
• 4 teaspoons flour
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped basil
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2/3 cup milk
• 6 cups peanut oil for frying
• For the salad
• 18 leaves each, red oak leaf lettuce, yellow chicory, and Belgian endive, washed
• 1/2 cup finely chopped chervil

1. In a small bowl, place red wine vinegar, mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper.
2. Stir with a whisk until well combined, then add beet puree.
3. Shell and devein shrimp.
4. Slice them on an angle into 4 pieces.
5. In a medium skillet, heat butter and saute carrots, fennel, red pepper, shallots and garlic until vegetables are soft, but not browned.
6. Add shrimp and cook 3 minutes, turning them lightly until they are just opaque.
7. Add the vermouth, cream and tomato paste, then simmer for 4 more minutes.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add parsley.
9. Set aside.
10. In a mixing bowl, combine the 6 ingredients, blending well.
11. In deep fryer, heat peanut oil until it reaches 350 degrees on a deep-fry-thermometer.
12. Scoop up the mixture with an oval ice cream scoop to form 2-inch oval balls.
13. Carefully place 2 or 3 at a time into the oil.
14. Fry until golden brown, about 2 or 3 minutes.
15. Place on paper towel to drain.
16. When cool enough to handle, cut them in half and with tip of teaspoon carefully scoop out the inside cornmeal to form a hollow shell.
17. Set aside in warm place.
18. Arrange the 3 varieties of lettuce in center of 6 salad plates, and spoon vinaigrette dressing sparingly over them.
19. Warm the shrimp mixture.
20. Arrange 3 halves of the hollowed hushpuppies (per serving) on top of the lettuces.
21. Fill with warm shrimp mixture and sprinkle with chervil.
22. Serve immediately.

vinaigrette, red wine vinegar, mustard, olive oil, salt, whole beet may, shrimp, unsalted butter, red peppers, carrots, bulb fennel, celery, garlic, shallots, tomato paste, cream, parsley, salt, hushpuppies, white cornmeal, flour, onion, basil, egg, milk, peanut oil, salad, endive, chervil

Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/hushpuppies-stuffed-with-shrimp-provencale-recipe.html (may not work)