RECIPE

Coconut Shrimp Beignets with Pepper Jelly Dipping Sauce

  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME:
  • SERVINGS: 8

MiLa, New Orleans

This bar snack is an ingenious combination of two classic fried foods: crisp coconut shrimp and beignets (fritters). Whisking both beer and egg into the batter makes for a crust that's crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME:
  • SERVINGS: 8
  • FAST

Ingredients

  • Ingredients
    1. One 10-ounce jar red pepper jelly
    2. 1/4 cup Creole mustard or grainy mustard
    3. 1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
    4. Vegetable oil, for frying
    5. 2 cups all-purpose flour
    6. 3 scallions, thinly sliced
    7. 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
    8. 1 tablespoon baking powder
    9. 1 tablespoon sugar
    10. 2 teaspoons salt
    11. 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    12. One 12-ounce bottle amber beer
    13. 1 large egg, lightly beaten
    14. 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined, tails left on

Directions

  1. In a bowl, whisk the pepper jelly with the mustard and vinegar until smooth.
  2. In a large saucepan, heat 1 1/2 inches of vegetable oil to 350°. In a bowl, mix the flour with the scallions, coconut, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper. Whisk in the beer and egg to form a thick batter.
  3. Working in batches, dip the shrimp in the batter (don't shake off the excess) and fry over moderate heat, turning once, until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to paper towels to drain. Serve with the pepper jelly sauce.