Ingredients

• 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
• 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
• 18 leaves each, red oak leaf lettuce, yellow chicory, and Belgian endive, washed
• 1/2 cup finely chopped chervil

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Instructions

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