Crispy Butterflied Shrimp with Orange-Yuzu Syrup

This makes a lovely first course, or you can add sliced orange segments, red onion, fennel, avacado, or whatever vegetables you like for a larger entrée course. The leftover Orange Yuzu Syrup makes a wonderful salad dressing, or a marinade for grilled halibut.

Serves 4

12 jumbo shrimp, peeled and cleaned, butterflied, tail on

1 cup flour

salt and pepper

4 eggs, beaten

2 cups panko or other fine bread crumbs

2 tablespoons chives, chopped

½ cup Orange-Yuzu syrup, see below

2 cups washed mesclun salad

juice of one lemon

salt and pepper to taste

canola oil for cooking

OrangeYuzu Syrup Ingredients:

3 pints freshly squeezed orange juice

1 pint freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 pint mirin

3/4 pint yuzu

1/2 - 3/4 pint grapeseed or canola oil

Kosher salt to taste

Flatten each shrimp by hand and lightly dredge in flour to which salt and pepper has been added, followed by egg, and then panko.

In a saucepan coated lightly with 1/4-inch of oil over medium-high heat, add the shrimp and shallow fry each side until golden brown, about 2 minutes a side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

In a large bowl, lightly toss the mesclun with the juice of one lemon and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

On each of 4 plates, place a small mound of mesclun surrounded by 3 crispy shrimp. Generously drizzle the syrup all over.

Orange-Yuzu Syrup

In a non-reactive saucepan on low heat, add freshly squeezed orange juice, lemon juice and mirin and reduce slowly by 70%.

Transfer to a blender and on high speed add the yuzu, then drizzle in the oil. Season with salt and check for flavor.

Transfer to a glass jar, and when cooled, seal with lid and store in fridge. Makes 3 pints.