Almond Butter Fried Shrimp with Amaretto Grits

This is... different.

Anybody who follows me knows I'm not 100% on the shrimp bandwagon.

And mixing shrimp with one of my favorite liqueurs did not seem to help me any.  I couldn't fathom mixing almonds, amaretto and shrimp.

I was wrong...

Since I still require a deep fryer to make shrimp edible for me, I deep fried these shrimp and coated them in a sauce this is reminiscent of a spicy peanut sauce found in Thai cuisine, but substituted almond butter for the peanut butter.  Then I made an amaretto glaze for the grits.  To finish it off, I garnished it with some toasted, slivered almonds to complete the nutty trifecta of flavor.

While it might sound a little iffy, I gotta say... I'm converted.  I'm on the bandwagon.  I'm down with the almond goodness flooding this dish.  I'm even down with the shrimp, even if it's not my favorite food ever.

I'm contemplating the idea of substituting the shrimp out for some seared scallops next time...

What do you think???












Almond Butter Fried Shrimp with Amaretto Grits

Almond Butter Fried Shrimp:

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and cleaned

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs

1 cup flour (or almond flour)

1/2 cup pulverized almonds

2 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Almond Butter Sauce:

2-3 tbsp butter

1/4 cup almond butter

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Salt & Pepper to taste

Heat the vegetable oil in a pot over medium high heat. Use a thermometer to achieve a reading of approximately 350F.

Clean shrimp by peeling the shells off, de-veining them and rinsing them under cold water.

Whisk the eggs and buttermilk together in a shallow bowl. Pour flour and almonds into another shallow bowl.

Dip the cleaned shrimp into the egg mixture, then toss into flour. Coat evenly.

Drop into frying oil and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown.

For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a saute pan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cooking for 3-5 minutes and stirring frequently.  Remove from heat.

Combine shrimp and almond sauce in a bowl.  Toss to combine.

Amaretto Grits:

2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cups grits
2 T butter
1/2 grated mild cheddar cheese

1/2 cup Amaretto

2 tsp tabasco sauce

Salt & Pepper to taste

1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds for garnish

Bring milk to a boil over medium heat. Add butter.

Slowly add grits and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add cheese and stir until completely melted into the mixture.

In a separate saute pan, saute butter, amaretto, hot sauce and seasoning over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes.

Stir the amaretto sauce into the grits and cook until everything is warmed through.  Remove from heat.

In a dry pan, toast slivered almonds over medium heat just until fragrant.  Remove from heat.

Ladle a serving of grits in a bowl.  Top with Almond Butter Fried Shrimp, and slivered almonds.