In a diary I posted the other day, on the topic of creative cheapskatery during the Second Republican Depression, I veered off on a tangent about pondering whether to go through with this year's edition of what has become an annual tradition, for me to make a shrimp dinner for my old friend, Alli, due ti the cost of travel, food, shitty economy, etc.
Well, to the extent anyone commented about that birthday dinner, the consensus was to go ahead and do it, no matter how lean the times. It was this, from drchelo
But as for the coconut shrimp? It's once a year, and Alli is a 30-year "investment" that has paid off over and over in good times, good laughs and good for your heart - so go for the long drive and the shrimp. You can fast the next day.
that really won me over. Come over the jump for recipes. What's for dinner?
Here's the shrimp recipe. My apologies for any imprecision.
Four Jumbo shrimp per person, peeled, tail on, half butterflied. Thisshrimp batter recipe does 16 or more :
9 Tbs. flour
2 eggs
9Tbs. beer. I used Yeungling.
1-1/2 Tbs. sugar
Cup or two of scredded coconut
1 scant Tbs. lavender.
Peanut oil.
Make batter from first four ingredients plus lavender.
Dip each shrimp by its tail, let excess drip of for a second.
Then dip/coat in coconut. Set all the prepped shrimp on a plate and refrigerate.
Put oil in an iron frying pan and heat to 325.
Fry up shrimp until nicely browned, 3 minutes or so. Drain them on a rack over paper towels.s of the plate
Sauce:
2 Tbs. mayo
1 Tbs. wasabi
juice of a small lime.
Whisk 'em all together.
I stacked four shrimp on the middle of each plate, like a tiny crown roast. One quadrant of the plate had Oven fries with malt vinegar and salt.The other three quadrants were surrounded at their edge with steamed asparagus. Shrimp sauce on the side.
Dessert was a chocolate mousse, made without cream in the mousse, only a bit on top, with sliced strawberries.
I see now that Asinus Asinum Fricat has a What's for dinner diary up.
I'll leave this diary just to let my commenters from yesterday know I took their advice. But go on over to Asinum's to talk food!