Dominican Shrimp Bombas

There is no better street food in the Caribbean than the various fried foods sold at street side stands and grills. This fritter recipe from The Dominican Republic is a mixture of shrimp, Munster cheese, and potato. You can’t get much better than that. Eat this treasure as a snack or serve it as an appetizer – we like it with a spicy-sweet mango-chile sauce and a squeeze of fresh lime.
Ingredients
1 pound of warm mashed potatoes (local Norkotahs or German Butterball work best)
4 tablespoons butter (cut into bits)
2 tablespoons of butter (for sautéing)
1 cup Munster Cheese (grated)
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup parsley (chopped)
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 pound raw shrimp (peeled and de-veined; it’s Oregon shrimp season, so help support the devastated shrimpers and BUY LOCAL SHRIMP!!!)
1 cup onions (diced)
1/2 cup flour
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1 cup fine bread crumbs

Directions
To the warm mashed potatoes add the 4 tablespoons of butter bits, cheese, egg yolk, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients together until smooth. Cover and set aside. Chop the raw shrimp into coarse bits.

In a heavy skillet, melt the 2 tablespoons of remaining butter. Sauté the onion until it is translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the shrimp and sauté until the shrimp just turns pink (about 2 minutes). Do not overcook.

Add the shrimp and onions to the potato mix and stir together.

To form the fritters, lightly flour your hands. Scoop out 3 tablespoons of the shrimp and potato mix, and shape into a cylinder (bomba) 2 inches long by ¾ inch round. Gently roll the bomba in flour and shake off the excess flour.

Dip a pastry brush into the beaten egg. Gently brush the egg onto the bomba and then roll the cylinder in the bread crumbs. Place the coated bomba on wax paper. When you are finished shaping all the bombas, place them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before frying.

Deep fry the bombas at 375 degrees for about 2 minutes and then turn them over and fry another 2 minutes. They should be golden brown on both sides. Only fry 4 or 5 at a time.

Serve the bombas at once with drinks, as appetizers, or as a snack.