Spicy shrimp bites

I must admit, I am not usually one for appetizers, to be honest, I've always thought they were a tad unnecessary. I mean, the star of the meal is always the entree so why would I want to fill up on a pre-meal meal? There are some exceptions to my rule, instance 1 - if that said "appetizer" is delicious freshly baked bread, and instance 2 - if you're at a wedding or some other fancy event and they're taking forevvverrrr to feed you, in that case, give me some darn appetizers! I've been thinking lately though, maybe I should give appetizers another shot, after all, it's not their fault that they're really just mini teaser entrees, they deserve some attention too.

These delectable little zesty shrimp bites are sure to be a hit at any party or get together...or you can just be like me and hog them all for yourself (no one will know). What's great about these is they have all the textures you crave in an app. The slight crunchiness of the bean cake, the wholesome "grilled" flavor of the shrimp, the cool and creamy feel of the sour cream, and the slight kick at the end with the sriracha, with all these things combined it's sure to be a fiesta in your mouth! (Yes, I went there).

Spicy Shrimp Bites Patties:

1 (15oz) can black beans, drained
1 (15oz) can yellow corn, drained (or you could use fresh off the cob)
1 (4.5ox) can of green chili peppers
1/3 cup AP flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 TBS cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 cup panko bread crumbs (for coating)
enough vegetable oil to just cover the bottom of the pan

Directions:

1.Heat oil in a medium sized saute pan on medium high heat.

2.Combine all the ingredients excluding the flour and the panko in a bowl and mix thoroughly, test to make sure seasoning is to your liking. Add the flour and mix.

3.For bean mixture into balls (I used a small cookie scooper) and roll in panko. Place in the hot pan and press down on balls lightly with spatula until round patty shape forms.

For the shrimp:

1 pound of raw frozen deveined shrimp, thawed, shells removed
1 TBS vegetable oil
2 TSP lemon oil (or just a squeeze of fresh lemon juice)
cumin for dusting shrimo

Directions:

1.Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel and dust lightly with cumin on both sides.

2.In a medium saute pan, heat oils on medium high heat and cook shrimp until light pink in color, slightly firm to the touch, and curled up.

To assemble:

Take a black bean and corn patty, top with a small dollop of sour cream, then grilled shrimp, a drop of sriracha, then a cilantro leaf (optional)