New England Fried Shrimp

Who doesn't love a crunchy fried shrimp? This version takes virtually fat-free shrimp out of the deep fryer and pan-fries them in a little bit of oil instead. With 9 grams of total fat and 213 calories per serving, you can feel good about enjoying them.

Ingredients

1 cup pale ale, or other light-colored beer
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour, (see Ingredient Note) or all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 pound raw shrimp, (13-15 per pound; see Ingredient Note), peeled and deveined, tails left on
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

Whisk beer, flour, mustard and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until smooth.
You’ll need to cook the shrimp in two batches. Wait to batter the second batch until the first is cooked. For the first batch, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Hold shrimp by the tail and dip in the batter one at a time. Let any excess batter drip off, then add the shrimp to the hot oil, making sure they aren’t touching. Cook, turning once and adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden brown on the outside and curled, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a platter.
Wipe out the pan. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and heat over medium-high. Batter and fry the remaining shrimp. Season all the shrimp with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Tips & Notes

Ingredient notes: Whole-wheat pastry flour, lower in protein than regular whole-wheat flour, has less gluten-forming potential, making it a better choice for tender baked goods. You can find it in the natural-foods section of large super markets and natural-foods stores. Store in the freezer.
Shrimp is usually sold by the number needed to make one pound. For example, “21-25 count” means there will be 21 to 25 shrimp in a pound. Size names, such as “large” or “extra large,” are not standardized, so to be sure you're getting the size you want, order by the count (or number) per pound. Both wild-caught and farm-raised shrimp can damage the surrounding ecosystems when not managed properly. Fortunately, it is possible to buy shrimp that have been raised or caught with sound environmental practices. Look for fresh or frozen shrimp certified by an independent agency, such as Wild American Shrimp or Marine Stewardship Council. If you can't find certified shrimp, choose wild-caught shrimp from North America—it's more likely to be sustainably caught.

Nutrition

Per serving: 213 calories; 9 g fat ( 1 g sat , 5 g mono ); 172 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 24 g protein; 1 g fiber; 351 mg sodium; 210 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (61% daily value), Iron (15% dv).
Carbohydrate Servings: 1/2
Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 3 lean meat, 1 1/2 fat