Béchamel-Coated Fried Shrimp
Gambas Villeroy
Béchamel, often referred to as “white sauce,” adds its rich and creamy flavor to many tapas and main courses. In this recipe, it serves as a delightful coating for crispy fried shrimp.
Equipment
- medium skillet
Ingredients
Serves: 6 to 8
Cooking Liquid:
- 7 cups of water
- 1 pound of medium or large shrimp in their shells
Béchamel Sauce:
- 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- ¾ cups of milk
- ¼ teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For Frying:
- Olive oil
- Bread crumbs for dredging
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
Instructions
- Prepare the cooking liquid: Follow the instructions in step 1 of the recipe.
- Add the shrimp and simmer until they turn pink, which takes about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Transfer the shrimp to a medium bowl, reserving the cooking liquid.
- Return the shrimp shells to the broth and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and strain the liquid through a fine sieve, reserving ¾ cup of the broth and discarding the solids.
- (Save the remaining broth for future use when boiling shellfish to enhance the flavor.)
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the flour and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.
- Stir in the reserved broth, milk, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth (the sauce will be quite thick; when you coat the back of a spoon, you can swipe a clean line through it with your finger).
- Let it cool, stirring occasionally.
- Dip each shrimp into the sauce, ensuring that they are coated on all sides.
- Place them on a dish, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until the sauce has hardened.
- Heat at least ½ inch of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat or use a deep fryer set at 365°F until a cube of bread turns light brown in 60 seconds.
- Place the eggs and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls.
- Dip each shrimp in the eggs and then dredge them in the bread crumbs.
- Place the coated shrimp in the hot oil.
- (You may need to cook them in batches to avoid overcrowding.
- ) Cook, turning once, until they turn golden brown, which takes about 5 minutes.
- Drain the fried shrimp on paper towels, season with salt and pepper, and serve hot.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Enjoy these Béchamel-coated fried shrimp as a delightful and delicious treat.