Crispy Shrimp Fritto Misto (Printer-Friendly)
Golden-battered shrimp and vegetables fried crisp, finished with lemon and parsley for easy sharing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Seafood & Vegetables
01 - 14 ounces large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 small zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
03 - 1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
04 - 3.5 ounces green beans, trimmed
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 3.5 ounces baby squid, cleaned and cut into rings (optional)
→ Batter
07 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 1/3 cup corn starch
09 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
10 - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
11 - 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sparkling water, ice cold
→ For Frying
12 - Neutral oil, such as sunflower or canola, for deep frying
→ To Serve
13 - 1 lemon, cut into wedges
14 - Fresh parsley, chopped
# How-To Steps:
01 - Pat dry the shrimp and prepared vegetables thoroughly with paper towels and set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, corn starch, baking powder, and sea salt. Gradually whisk in ice-cold sparkling water until a light, slightly lumpy batter forms.
03 - Pour enough oil into a deep fryer or heavy saucepan to submerge ingredients. Heat to 350°F (180°C) and monitor with a kitchen thermometer.
04 - Working in small batches, dip shrimp and each vegetable piece into batter, allowing excess to drip off. Carefully lower into hot oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crisp.
05 - Transfer fried items to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon. Repeat with all remaining ingredients, maintaining oil at correct temperature between batches.
06 - Arrange all fried components on a serving platter. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Present immediately while hot.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The icy-cold batter creates a fragile, shattering crunch you can actually hear with every bite.
- Its flexibility—toss in whatever fresh vegetables or seafood you have and it still feels luxurious.
02 -
- If the batter isn’t icy cold, it won’t puff up—skip this and you’ll get limp fritters every time.
- Overcrowding the pan drops the oil temp and makes things soggy, so keep batches small even when you’re impatient.
03 -
- Always have your batter and oil ready before starting; timing is everything with crispy fry-ups.
- Letting the batter rest for a few minutes makes it even lighter and helps bubbles develop.