Shrimp are so versatile. They go well with so many foods, and they can be made as appetizers, lunches or dinner dishes, They can be found in all kinds of cuisines, and they are featured prominently in the cooking of France, Italy, Spain, and America — all of my favorites.

Last month I was perusing through a Spanish cookbook, a 2-inch thick magnum opus by Penelope Casas: 1,000 Spanish Recipes. One of the recipes that intrigued me was Shrimp Pancakes, so I decided to make them for a light supper.

I made several pancakes and served them with sautéed Cavolo Nero for an easy and tasty supper.

For a historical perspective I remember a similar recipe we used to make 20 years ago, so I looked it up in my electronic archive. It was a Chinese recipe — a delightful appetizer — called EUGENIA’S MOTHER-IN-LAW’S SOOCHOW SHRIMP CAKES. Eugenia was a friend of ours and a terrific cook. Best of all, she gave Chinese cooking lessons to a group of friends, and we were the happy beneficiaries of her generosity. Here is her mother-in-law’s dish; the pieces were much smaller, thus better suited as an appetizer: