All-You-Can-Eat Crisp Cornmeal Shrimp

ImageWho doesn't love crispy fried shrimp?  It's such a quick and easy meal to throw together.  I always keep a bag of frozen shrimp in my freezer, which makes serving this that much simpler. 

We are definitely shrimp lovers in our household, I know I've said that before.  What I like about using cornmeal is the coating doesn't become too thick and you can actually taste the shrimp and the seasoning as opposed to a mouthful of breading.  My kids really appreciate this.

I make up a quick tartar sauce and this is ready in no time.  I have never tried this with fresh shrimp but I can't see why it wouldn't work.

 

All-You-Can-Eat Crisp Cornmeal Shrimp

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 pound frozen peeled and defined large shrimp with tail on, thawed
Tartar sauce
Lemon wedges

In a shallow bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, salt and Old Bay Seasoning.  In another bowl, lightly beat two eggs.

Dip the shrimp in the eggs, then coat in the cornmeal mixture.

In a skillet, cook the shrimp until golden brown and crisp in a 1/2" of canola oil, about 3 minutes (about 5-8 at a time).  Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain.  Keep warm in a 200o F oven until all the shrimp are cooked.

Serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce for dipping.

I make up my own tartar sauce instead of using store-bought.  For every 1/2 cup of mayonnaise I add, 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons fresh minced onion, 1 teaspoon sweet pickle relish, 1 teaspoon horseradish and freshly ground pepper.

 

Cathy is currently in the development stages of her vineyard and winery in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.  She is a food writer for Davis Life Magazine and blogs daily about wine, food and everyday living.  She lives with her husband and two sons.  You can visit her at noblepig.com.