Seafood

Firecracker Shrimp Roll with Crab Aioli

July 4th is not for another month yet, but I’m already getting ready with my Firecracker Shrimp Roll with Crab Aioli. The shrimp are fried in a spicy mixture of flour and panko bread crumbs, then placed in a sandwich roll slathered with a zesty fresh crab aioli. If you don’t like spicy flavors, you can dial the spice level down as you like.

I adapted this recipe from Chef John, who often gives a rather ‘folksy’ narration with his YouTube presentations. One thing I learned from my recent Baja Fish Tacos post, is that the batter is one of the most important elements when frying food. That’s why I added the paprika and mustard to the batter recipe to boost the flavor!

To serve the sandwiches, first toast the rolls in the oven, slather the sides generously with the crab aioli, then add the fried shrimp (don’t be afraid to over-stuff)! I can already hear the July 4th celebrations!

Firecracker Shrimp Roll with Crab Aioli
Print Recipe
Serves: 4 Cooking Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

For the Marinade:

1 cup buttermilk

2 tsps. Hot sauce

1 tsp ground chipotle pepper

2 tsps. Cayenne pepper

2 tsps. Kosher salt

For the Breading:

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup panko crumbs

1 Tbsp. mustard (Dijon or regular)

2 tsps. Paprika

2 tsps. Kosher salt

For the Crab Aioli:

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup lump crab meat

1 pinch cayenne pepper

2 garlic cloves, crushed

½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. Lemon juice

2 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed

Final Assembly:

6 soft sandwich rolls

1 cup chopped lettuce greens

Vegetable or canola oil for frying shrimp

1 pinch cayenne pepper for final garnish on shrimp

Instructions

1

For the marinade, combine the buttermilk, hot sauce, chipotle pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt in a bowl. Remove the shells and tails from the raw shrimp and let soak in the marinade for at least 15 minutes.

2

To prepare the Crab Aioli, in a bowl combine the mayonnaise, crab, garlic, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice. Set aside.

3

For the breading, mix together the flour, panko bread crumbs, mustard, salt and paprika in a shallow dish. Toss the shrimp in the breading to coat, then shake off any excess.

4

Place enough oil in a pan to reach about ½ inch high. Heat to medium-high then fry 3-4 shrimp at a time until golden- about two minutes each side. Drain on kitchen paper.

5

Heat the bread rolls for several minutes in a 400 F. pre-heated oven. Slice partway through each sandwich roll, splitting them open. Spread the crab ailoli generously on each side of the roll, add 4-5 shrimp pieces and sprinkle a little cayenne pepper on top. Add a little shredded lettuce and serve.

June 3, 2021 By Fran Flint

Piri Piri Shrimp with Papaya and Watermelon Salad Strawberry Sorbet with Honey-Mint Glaze

About Fran Flint

I've lived in Paris, Adelaide and San Diego and love to create tasty recipes from around the world!

8 Comments

John / Kitchen Riffs

June 3, 2021 at 5:46 am

Hot sauce, chipotle, cayenne — I’m in love! Spicy stuff is one of my weaknesses, and this is totally the sort of dish I enjoy. So nice — thanks.

Fran Flint

June 3, 2021 at 7:10 am

Thanks John! I find that the level of spice is tolerable- not too bad- but this has gotta be one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever made!

angiesrecipes

June 3, 2021 at 12:19 pm

This looks like a lot of works, but the result is for sure worth it. I have never tried aioli made with crab. Definitely something on my list to try. And the shrimp are perfectly golden and crisp. O gosh..my mouth is watering while writing that…LOL

Reply
Fran Flint
June 3, 2021 at 12:22 pm
Thanks Angie- it’s not really all that much work- hope you can try it sometime!

Firecracker Shrimp Roll with Crab Aioli