Buttermilk Fried Shrimp + Crémant Pairing

“Finishing food is about the tiny touches. In the last seconds you can change everything.” - Mario Batali

Shrimp is such a versatile protein, you can enjoy them steamed, grilled, or broiled. Yet, one of my favorite ways to enjoy shrimp is when it is fried with buttermilk! These bitesized treats, are perfect to enjoy solo, tossed in a salad, or piled high on a sandwich. I absolutely love pairing buttermilk fried shrimp with Crémant, a delicious sparkling wine.

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Buttermilk fried shrimp with spicy aioli.

Buttermilk Fried Shrimp

These crispy buttermilk shrimp are marinated in lemon pepper, red pepper, and a pinch of sea salt for 24 hours. The flavor of these shellfish are so lovely, and the citrus and spicy notes pair wonderfully together.

When choosing a wine for this dish, you’ll want something light and refreshing. A crisp, fresh, and sparkling white wine would compliment these fried shrimp perfectly.

Williamsburg Winery, Crémant de Loire Wedmore Place

Crémant de Loire

Williamsburg Winery, located in Virginia Beach and Williamsburg, VA has a hidden gem on their wine listing, a wonderful Crémant. It is simply lovely, and is served at their hotel, Wedmore Place. This wine is bottled and produced at Château de la Presle in France. I stumbled upon this delicious sparkling white wine during my bridal shower several years ago, and is a staple always kept in my home.

Not familiar with Crémant? Crémant de Loire is produced in the Anjou-Saumur and Touraine regions of Loire Valley.

The primary grapes traditionally used in this wine are:

• Chenin Blanc,

• Cabernet Franc, or

• Pinot Noir

With Chenin Blanc more commonly used in this sparkling wine, you’ll taste the following primary notes:

• Lemon

• Quince

• Pear

• Honey

• Chamomile

• Bread or Toast

On the nose you’ll immediately find:

• Hazelnut

• Almonds

• Vanilla

• Liquore

This wine is so delicate, fresh, clean, and crisp, the perfect compliment to really any fried dish, but particularly buttermilk fried shrimp. I truly enjoy this pairing, and it’s one of my favorites to indulge in. You can pair Crémant with several other dishes like salmon, curry, and smoked trout.

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XO, Analise

Recipe: Prosecco Battered Fried Shrimp

“The smell of shrimp is comforting.” - Lennon Parham

Shrimp is something I’ve always grown up eating, and truly enjoy. Anytime I’m able to create a dish with these sea creatures I’m a happy girl.

Recently, I tried a new dish at home, and opted to use a sparkling wine, Prosecco instead of beer, for a uniquely battered shrimp. I wanted a lighter approach to the batter, than the traditional beer battered option. This batter makes the shrimp feel nice and light, just like the Prosecco itself - refreshing with a touch of citrus.

Check out the recipe below!

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Prosecco batter mixture.

Dipping each shrimp into the oil - spacing them evenly apart in the vessel.

• 1 pound of large shrimp

• 1/2 cup of flour

• 1/2 cup of Prosecco

• 1 teaspoon of black pepper seasoning

• 1 tbsp of lemon pepper seasoning or chili lime seasoning

• A pinch of sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon of cracked black peppercorn

• Cooking oil of your choice - Canola, Peanut, or Vegetable

Step 1: Ensure your shrimp is thawed out if it is frozen, rinse them, and begin to line up each piece of shrimp on a stack of paper towels. You’ll want to drain any excess water out of the shrimp before dipping them into the batter and frying.

Pro Tip: The batter will not stick to wet shrimp, so make sure they are dry.

Step 2: While your shrimp is drying, begin to make your batter. Combine your flour and Prosecco, and ensure it is a nice creamy texture - similar to pancake batter! Once the batter is nice and smooth, combine all seasonings to ensure they are distributed evenly throughout the mixture.

Pro Tip: If your batter is a little too thick, and a little bit more prosecco to the batter to ensure it isn’t clumpy.

Step 3: Get your oil nice and hot! While you are waiting, begin to dip each shrimp into the batter, not going past the tail, and begin placing them into the pan/pot. It will take about 5 minutes for the shrimp to get nice and brown - keep your eye on them while they fry.

Pro Tip: Do not overcrowd the vessel, as the shrimp will not cook evenly, and the battered shrimp will stick together.

Step 4: As the shrimp are reaching their golden brown color, remove them from the oil, and place them on a stack of paper towels so they can drain any excess oil.

Step 5: Serve and enjoy!

Prosecco fried shrimp, paired with a garlic + citrus aioli, and sautéed kale and carrot salad.

XO, Analise