Shrimp & Corn Cakes with Avocado Salsa

I have been living a 3-hour workday lifestyle over here in Spain.

It’s enough time to stay float—get the most important emails back, feed this Substack—but not enough to ever dig my way out of the ever-expanding to-do list. I’m also at the mercy of our rental kitchen, Spanish supermarkets, and a very low cooking libido.

So while I have managed to get dinner on the table, they are not recipes that are worth adding to the MM cannon. Some might be considered the toddler equivalent of “girl dinner.” Here’s a little taste of the last two weeks:

Luckily, a few of my friends are picking up the slack this month and lending us some inspiration from their cookbooks.

First up, the lovely and talented Rachel Mansfield who is sharing a recipe from her new cookbook More, Please! that might actually get my child to start eating shrimp.

If you’ve ever stood in front of the fridge wondering what to make, if you’ve ever tried to satisfy both adventurous eaters and picky eaters at the same table, or if you simply want more delicious recipes in your rotation, this book is for you.

I’ll let Rachel take it from here!

Happy munching,

P

Hello new friends! I’m Rachel. The recipe creator behind rachLmansfield, mom of 3, co-CEO and founder of cadootz and cookbook author of More, Please! I’m here taking over Phoebe’s newsletter for the day and I am so excited to share an incredible dinner idea I know you are going to love.

I have been cyber friends with Phoebe ever since the early days of “food blogging” and it is such an honor for me to be here sharing an exclusive sneak peek recipe into my new cookbook, More, Please!

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that weeknight dinners in our house need to check a few boxes:

✔️ Easy enough for a busy weekday
✔️ Packed with protein
✔️ Full of flavor for the adults
✔️ Adaptable enough for the kids

As a mom of three, recipe creator, and someone who genuinely loves feeding people, I know the struggle of wanting to make one meal that everyone at the table can enjoy without turning dinner into a short-order kitchen.

These Shrimp & Corn Cakes with Avocado Salsa became one of those accidental family favorites.

Instead of serving shrimp the usual way, I chopped it up and folded it together with sweet corn, herbs, spices, and just enough binder to create these golden, crispy cakes. Topped with a bright avocado salsa, they somehow feel like something you’d order at your favorite neighborhood restaurant, yet they’re surprisingly simple to make at home.

The best part?

My kids, who would’ve questioned a plate of shrimp on its own, happily devoured these. They dipped them, picked at the avocado salsa, asked for seconds, and reminded me once again that sometimes changing the format of an ingredient makes all the difference.

That idea became one of the biggest themes throughout More, Please!

The cookbook isn’t about making complicated meals or hiding vegetables in everything. It’s about helping families enjoy food together with recipes that are flexible, approachable, and full of flavor.

That’s the heart behind More, Please! —recipes that work for real life, real families, and real picky eaters.

Today, I’m sharing these Shrimp & Corn Cakes with Avocado Salsa exclusively from the cookbook. I hope it becomes a favorite in your house too.

To get the recipe for free, keep scrolling down or order a copy of my new cookbook! I also hope to meet you IRL on tour!!

—Rachel

Shrimp & Corn Cakes with Avocado Salsa

Avocado Salsa:

3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

2 avocados, diced

1/2 small red onion, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 small shallot, minced

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)

Juice of 1 lime

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Shrimp & Corn Cakes:

12 ounces peeled, deveined fresh shrimp, tails removed, shrimp patted dry

1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed

1/3 cup lightly packed fresh parsley leaves

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

Make the avocado salsa:

1. In a medium bowl, add the tomatoes, avocados, onion, parsley, shallot, jalapeño (if using), lime juice, salt, and garlic powder and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate while you make the shrimp cakes.

Make the shrimp or corn cakes:

1. In a food processor, add the shrimp and pulse just until roughly chopped. Add the corn, parsley, egg, Old Bay, and salt and pepper to taste and pulse again, just until the mixture is finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and set aside.

2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil.

3. Add a very small amount of the shrimp mixture to test your seasoning. Cook for 1 or minutes, until golden. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

4. Use 1⁄4 cup measure to scoop the shrimp mixture into the hot pan. Use the back of the measuring cup, or a spoon, to flatten the mixture into a 1⁄4-inch-thick cake.

5. Repeat with a few more shrimp cakes, as many as can comfortably fit in the skillet. Cook until golden and crisp on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving plate and repeat with the remaining shrimp mixture, adding more oil to the pan as needed. Remove the pan from the heat.

6. Top the shrimp cakes with the chilled avocado salsa and serve.

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My latest cookbook is your culinary and dietary road map to reclaim your favorite comfort foods without the consequences (complete with 130 anti-inflammatory gluten free recipes…that are also family friendly!). Ina Garten says “I love this book!”—listen to the queen and order your copy!

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