Beer-Battered Shrimp (Lighter)

Appetizers
Main Course

Recipe courtesy of Lighten Up, Y'all by Virginia Willis

Serves 4

Ingredients: 

SHRIMP

  • ½ cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • ⅔ cup rice flour or cornstarch
  • ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 4 ounces light beer
  • 6 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 pound large (21/25 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced
  • Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

     

SPICY KETCHUP

  • 1 tablespoon pure olive oil
  • 1 sweet onion, grated
  • 1 garlic clove, mashed to a paste with salt (see note, below)
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) no-salt-added canned tomatoes with juice, pureed
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • ¼ cup sherry vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon smoked hot paprika
  • Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Beer-Battered Shrimp (Lighter)

Beer-Battered Shrimp (Lighter)

Click image to enlarge

 

Method: 

Line a plate with paper towels. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Working one at a time and using the tail as a han­dle, dip the shrimp in the batter and shake off the excess. Dredge the shrimp in the panko mixture, making sure to coat both sides. Place the shrimp in a single layer in the pan, and cook until golden brown, about 2½ minutes on each side. Remove the shrimp from pan; drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining oil, shrimp, batter, and panko mixture. At the end of cooking, sear the lemon slices in the hot oil until slightly charred.

Serve the shrimp and lemon slices hot with the spicy ketchup.

To make the ketchup, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 8 min­utes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sherry vinegar, honey, and smoked paprika, then season with salt. Cook until thickened, 45 to 60 minutes.

To prepare the shrimp, combine the panko and cilantro in a shallow baking dish and stir to combine. Combine the rice flour, unbleached all-purpose flour, and baking soda in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk Gradually add the beer, stirring with a whisk until a smooth batter.

GARLIC PASTE

To prepare garlic paste, place the broad side of an unpeeled clove of garlic on a clean work surface. Give it a whack with the side of a chef's knife. Remove the outside papery skin, and using the knife, trim the tough basal plane at the top of the clove. Halve the clove lengthwise and remove the green shoot, if present, as it is bitter. Coarsely chop the garlic, then sprinkle it with coarse salt. (The salt acts as an abrasive and helps chop the garlic.) Then, using the flat side of the chef's knife like a palette knife, press firmly on the garlic, crushing a little at a time. Repeat until the garlic is a smooth paste.


 

Louisiana Recipes Weekly



 

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