Email to Cat      

Paul's Coconut Beer Shrimp

Source of Recipe

From "The Glory of Southern Cooking" by James Villas


Recipe Introduction

"Paul Prudhomme created this amazing appetizer back in the 1970s, when he was chef at Commander's Palace in New Orleans, and long before he became so famous. I knew the second I tasted it back in the kitchen that this giant of a man would be a force to be reckoned with. To say the least, the contrasting flavors couldn't have been more innovative, and don't balk at the onion and garlic powder — they are essential to Prudhomme's unique style of Cajun cooking."

List of Ingredients

The Dipping Sauce:
â—¦ 1â…” cups orange marmalade
â—¦ 5 tablespoons Creole mustard
â—¦ 5 tablespoons prepared horseradish

The Shrimp:
â—¦ 1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
â—¦ 1 teaspoon salt
â—¦ 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
â—¦ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon onion powder
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
â—¦ 1 large egg
â—¦ 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
â—¦ ½ cup lager beer
â—¦ 1½ teaspoons baking powder
â—¦ 1½ teaspoons grated fresh or frozen coconut
â—¦ 1½ pounds large fresh shrimp, shelled (except for the tails) and deveined
â—¦ Vegetable oil for deep frying


Recipe

To make the dipping sauce, combine all the ingredients in a bowl, mix till well blended, and set aside.

To prepare the shrimp, combine the cayenne pepper, salt, paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and oregano in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. In another bowl, combine 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix with the egg, ¼ cup of the flour, the beer, and baking powder, and beat till smooth. In another small bowl, combine the remaining flour with 1½ teaspoons of the seasoning mix. And in a fourth bowl, place the coconut.

Sprinkle the remaining seasoning mix over the shrimp, then, holding each shrimp by the tail, dredge each in the flour, dip in the beer batter, coat generously with coconut, and place on a baking sheet.

Heat about 2 inches of oil in a small cast-iron skillet to 350° F, drop the shrimp into the oil in batches, fry 1 minute, and drain on paper towels.

To serve, divide the dipping sauce among 6 small bowls, place the bowls on small serving plates, and arrange equal amounts of shrimp around the bowls.



Makes 6 servings