CRISPY SHRIMP

By kathryns

From Lidia B. they are best when fried at the last minute, but if you’re feeding a crowd, after the shrimp are fried spread them on a sheet pan and keep them in a 325-degree oven. Hold for no longer than 10 minutes; otherwise, the shrimp will get tough

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dredging
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 cup club soda, chilled, plus more as needed
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped pickled peperoncini
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Fresh lemon slices, for serving

Preparation

Step 1

Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a medium Dutch oven to 365 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in the club soda to make a smooth batter. (The batter should be as thick as pancake batter; if it’s too thick, whisk in a little more club soda.) Whisk in the peperoncini.

Spread some flour on a plate. Lightly dredge the shrimp in the flour, tapping off the excess. Dip the shrimp in the batter in batches, so they’re not touching in the pan, and fry until crisp and golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Season all with salt, and serve right away with slices of lemon.