Crispy fried shrimp in a hot, crusty bread boat. (All photos credit: George Graham)
As I travel the backroads of Louisiana, I sometimes wander outside my home territory of Acadiana and find a culinary treasure hidden “off the eatin’ path.” Such is the case with Morton’s Restaurant on the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain. Between Hammond and Covington just off I-12 at the Madisonville exit is a seafood lover’s dream-come-true. Morton’s bills itself as a seafood restaurant and that is an understatement for this culinary mecca of the freshest bounty the Gulf has to offer.
The first thing that grabs you when you enter Madisonville is that this tiny town with the one red light is a fishing and maritime village that revolves around a most picturesque river with the impossible-to-pronounce name, Tchefuncte. Lining each side of the waterway flanking the Hwy 22 drawbridge are some outstanding cafes with Morton’s staking claim to the best-of-the-best.
Either sitting outside under the mossy oaks enjoying the waterside view or the upbeat bustle of the main dining room, Morton’s is a treat. Part juke joint, part funky dive and with an oyster bar thrown in for color, this place is a feast for the senses. The huge chalkboard menu with its equally enormous variety of offerings calls out the day’s specialties of fresh Amberjack, grilled Gulf Grouper, menuiere of Speckled Trout, Oysters Bienville and on and on.
But the mainstay of this roadhouse eatery is the perfectly fried seafood – a Louisiana specialty. Crispy crawfish tails, sweet farm-raised catfish, wild Louisiana shrimp and finger-lickin’ crab claws all battered and fried golden brown delicious.
For me, the standout is ordering their fried seafood in a “boat” of hollowed-out French bread buttered and toasted to deliver the catch of the day. They use Leidenheimer French bread from New Orleans, and the crispy bread is the perfect vessel for delivering the catch.
I didn’t have my camera with me on that trip, but the presentation of that dish is drawn indelibly in my memory. So, I set out to recreate the dish with a recipe that I believe amps up the flavor and puts a unique spin on fried seafood.
Here in Louisiana, we are blessed with unique food products that reflect the artisan spirit of the many talented culinary entrepreneurs that add to our tasty gumbo of life. Zapp’s – the potato chip maker from Gonzales, Louisiana – is one of those.
I’ve written about these folks before with a recipe for Cajun Crawtator Casserole. But here, in my recipe for fried shrimp, I am encrusting my shrimp in those crawfish boil-spiced potato chips with a crunchy coating that takes the flavor to another level. With my crispy potato strings providing a netting to hold my catch, this shrimp boat delivers on taste, texture, and a boatload of tasty eating.
Zapp’s Crawtator potato chips are the key to this crunchy crust.
- 4 (10-inch) loaves French bread
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic
- Kosher salt
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- 4 large russet potatoes, peeled, cut into spiral “strings” or regular-cut fries
- Canola oil, for frying
- Cajun seasoning
- 24 jumbo (8/10 count) shrimp, peeled, tail-on, and deveined
- 3 (16-ounce) bags spicy, kettle-type potato chips, such as Zapp’s Cajun Crawtators
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 3 cups buttermilk
- Canola oil, for frying
- Salt
- 4 lemon wedges, for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- With a bread knife, slice off the top portion of the loaf revealing the soft inside. With your hands, scoop out the bread, being careful not to penetrate the bottom.
- Mix the butter with the garlic and spread evenly along the inside walls of the loaf. Lightly sprinkle with kosher salt and Parmesan cheese.
- Place the loaves and their tops in the oven and bake until browned and crusty. Keep warm until serving.
- In a large pot, add enough oil to come halfway up the side of the pot. Bring the oil to a temperature of 350ºF.
- Working in batches, add the potatoes and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Move to a paper-towel-lined platter and drain. Lightly sprinkle with Cajun seasoning and keep warm for serving.
- With a sharp paring knife, slice halfway through the back of each shrimp and butterfly for even cooking.
- Pulse the chips in the food processor until crushed, but stop short of a breadcrumb texture. Spread the potato chip breading out on a large sheet tray.
- In a shallow bowl, add the flour and stir in the Cajun seasoning.
- In another shallow bowl, add the eggs and whisk in the buttermilk to combine.
- In a large pot, add enough oil to come halfway up the side of the pot. Bring the oil to a temperature of 350ºF.
- Working in batches, add the shrimp to the flour and coat evenly, shaking off any excess. Move the floured shrimp to the egg wash and coat evenly. Add the shrimp to the potato chip breading and coat generously. Place the battered shrimp on a plate.
- Holding each shrimp by the tail, gently lower into the hot oil. Fry in batches to prevent overcrowding. The shrimp will brown quickly since the potato chips are already brown, so watch carefully and remove when golden, about 3 minutes. Drain on a wire rack (not paper towels) to retain a crisp texture. Salt immediately.
- For serving, move each toasted loaf of bread to a platter and place a mound of potato strings inside. Add 6 shrimp to the top of each. Lay the toasted bread top along the side of the loaf. Garnish with a lemon wedge and serve with cocktail sauce.
YOUR SEAT AT THE TABLE: If you like this story and recipe then accept my personal invitation to subscribe by entering your email at the bottom or top right of this page. It’s quick and painless. You will receive an email alert and be the first to see when new stories and recipes are added. Thanks, George.
Leave a Reply