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Shrimp and Okra Fritters

Source of Recipe

From "The New Orleans Kitchen" by Justin Devillier


Recipe Introduction

"I have a penchant for dipping things in batter and frying them. I really like this recipe, because the fresh shrimp perfume every bite with their sweet, briny aroma while still letting the other ingredients shine. This is classic finger food, best eaten on the porch on a nice summer day. Okra is a polarizing ingredient, and while I've come to appreciate its slimy quality in certain recipes, it will minimize the crispness of the fritter if it goes right into the batter. Here, I give it a quick roast in high heat, which draws out the moisture and subdues much of the slime. If you're not convinced and don't want to try it, you can use another vegetable here, such as zucchini, summer squash, roasted peppers, or eggplant. That's the beauty of this recipe — the batter is a blank canvas."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 8 ounces okra, sliced ½-inch thick
â—¦ 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
â—¦ 1 cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ 1 teaspoon baking powder
â—¦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
â—¦ ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
â—¦ 1 egg
â—¦ 8 ounces wild shrimp, chopped into ½-inch pieces
â—¦ ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts
â—¦ About 1 quart peanut oil
â—¦ 1 cup Aïoli (recipe follows)


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Line a plate with paper towels.

In a mixing bowl, toss together the okra and olive oil. Spread out the okra on the prepared baking sheet and cook until visibly roasted and fairly dry, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

In a clean mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk and egg and whisk to form a sticky, shaggy batter with no bits of dried flour remaining. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes. Fold in the shrimp, baked okra, and green onions.

When ready to fry, pour the oil to a depth of 1 ½ inches in a large, heavy-bottomed pot fitted with a clip-on deep-fry thermometer. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reads 375° F.

Working in batches to avoid crowding, gently drop the fritters, each about the size of a Ping-Pong ball, into the oil from just above the surface, being careful to avoid splashing. Fry until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 ½ minutes, then use a clean spoon to gently flip each fritter and cook on the other side for 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Repeat until you've used up all the batter, letting the oil return to 375° between batches and replenishing with fresh oil if necessary. Transfer the fritters to the paper towels to drain and then transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with a little salt and serve immediately with the aïoli for dipping.

Makes 15 to 20 fritters



Aïoli:

â—¦ 2 egg yolks
â—¦ Juice of ½ lemon
â—¦ 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
â—¦ 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
â—¦ 2 cups canola oil
â—¦ Kosher salt
â—¦ Freshly cracked white pepper

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, Dijon, and garlic and process on high speed.

When the mixture becomes frothy and pale, slowly and steadily begin drizzling in the oil (with the processor still running) to form an emulsion. When the emulsion looks pale and creamy, you can drizzle in the oil more quickly. If it looks like it's separating (you will see oil beading up on the walls of the bowl), stop adding the oil and let the processor run until the mixture begins creamy again.

The aïoli is done when it has the consistency of mayonnaise (you can make a thicker aïoli by adding and emulsifying another 1 to 2 tablespoons oil, or a thinner aïoli by drizzling in a spoonful of ice water). Season the mixture with salt and white pepper and transfer the aïoli to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Makes about 2 cups