I recently completed taping a number of new episodes of my television show and in one of those episodes, I was inspired by both a personal dining experience and a coincidental request from an old friend to try to simulate a dish I had had just weeks before.
It’s an appetizer created and made famous by the seafood restaurant chain, Bonefish Grill. I understand there are a couple hundred of them, but as well-traveled as I am, I’ve never encountered one.
Nevertheless, on my recent vacation, the new restaurant next to our place in Sint Maarten served an appetizer they called “Bang Bang Shrimp.” At the time, I didn’t know it was a Bonefish Grill staple until I asked the restaurant manager about it.
Coincidentally, a few weeks after I returned, I heard from an old high school chum who has eaten at more than one Bonefish Grill and, as he put it, he’s “addicted” to Bang Bang Shrimp. Could I somehow find out how to make it?
Most chefs happily share their recipes – with very few exceptions. It’s a compliment that someone thinks highly enough of something you’ve created or cooked well. I do recall an incident at a restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona, however, when I asked a chef for a recipe for a dessert I had in his restaurant and he refused. So I recreated it myself and I think mine tasted better. No ego here.
In any case, you can do a search on line for almost any recipe and I did one for Bang Bang Shrimp. Apparently, Bonefish Grill doesn’t give out its recipe for this dish as it is a signature appetizer. But a simple Google search reveals that a number of people have made attempts at duplicating it. I did, too. Herewith, I share it with all of you:
You’ll need a pound of medium shrimp (26-31s), shelled and deveined and set them in a cup of milk to soak, while you make the dipping sauce. This dipping sauce is the real feature of the dish, in my opinion.
Combine a half cup of real mayonnaise (not that fake or low-fat stuff) with a quarter cup of Thai sweet chili sauce and 3 teaspoons of Sriracha, a Thai hot sauce. Thin out the sauce with a few splashes of rice wine vinegar.
Dredge the shrimp first in cornstarch, then back into the milk and then into panko style bread crumbs and set aside the coated shrimp for a moment while you heat a large skillet with peanut or canola oil. Carefully drop the shrimp into the hot oil and fry until they’re golden brown.
Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon or tongs to paper towels to drain.
To serve, use lettuce cups or a bed of shredded cabbage and put the dipping sauce in little cups on the side. Finally, garnish with finely sliced green onions.
I understand my old friend’s addiction, now that I’ve made it myself. The sauce, especially, is a keeper.