Fried Almond Shrimp

• Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• 4 medium eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 12 uncooked jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact 
• 1 ½ cups sliced almonds
• 6 cups vegetable oil
• Cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, and lemon wedges, for serving

• Directions:

• Place flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl; mix well. In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together milk and eggs.
• Dredge the shrimp (not tails) in seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Dip the shrimp (not tails) in the milk/egg mix.
• Place almonds on a large plate. Roll shrimp in almonds, pressing to adhere firmly and coating all but tails. Place battered shrimp on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and curl tails up over shrimp. Freeze until firm, about 90 minutes.
• Heat vegetable oil in heavy large saucepan to 350°F. Loosen shrimp from wax paper and place gently in hot oil; fry until color turns deep golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked shrimp to paper towels and allow to drain.
• Divide shrimp among serving plates and serve with cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, and lemon wedges.

Serve up these casual fried fritters with your favorite deli fixings—potato chips, coleslaw, and a creamy fruit salad would be just perfect. When choosing a complimentary drink, consider something that will lighten up and refresh the palate, as fried fish can become quite heavy and salty. Great choices include sparkling wine, Albarino, and the Argentinian white wine Torrontes.