LONG JOHN SILVER’S: CRUNCHY SHRIMP BASKET (SHRIMP ONLY)

SAVE: 113 CALORIES, 17 G FAT, 5 G SAT. FAT

For me, this recipe was among the trickiest in the book. Not that the dish is hard to make (it’s delightfully simple, in fact), but finding the right nutritional data was a real eye-opener. When I arrived at Long John Silver’s, I had their nutrition pamphlet from 2003 in tow but soon discovered that few current menu items appeared to be listed. I wasn’t sure if the items had changed or if they just called them by different names. Is “Battered Chicken” the same thing as a “Chicken Plank”? Does the nutritional data for the “Crunchy Shrimp (basket)” listed on the pamphlet as having “21 pieces” and displayed with fries in the basket on the menu include the fries?

After asking many questions and realizing that my pamphlet was outdated, I was finally able to secure the most recent one. But the whole experience really reminded me why I prefer to cook for myself. It’s the best (and often easiest) way for me to know exactly what is going on my plate and how many calories and grams of fat will stay off my hips. Now you can know, too.

Olive oil spray

2½ ounces raw shrimp (the smallest peel-on shrimp you can find)

½ tablespoon unbleached or all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon sugar

1⁄8 teaspoon salt

1⁄8 teaspoon garlic powder

1⁄8 teaspoon onion powder

1 egg white

2 teaspoons fat-free milk

¼ cup + 1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs

Bottled cocktail sauce (optional)

PREHEAT the oven to 475°F. Lightly mist a nonstick baking sheet with oil spray.

Peel the shrimp, leaving the tail attached. Devein, if necessary. Place in a colander to drain excess liquid. Squeeze gently, then toss lightly in a paper towel. Set aside.

In a small resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, sugar, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Shake to blend well. Add the shrimp. Shake to evenly coat with the flour mixture.

In a small bowl, combine the egg white and milk. Beat with a fork until smooth. Place the bread crumbs in a small resealable plastic bag.

Transfer about 4 shrimp at a time from the flour mixture to the egg-white mixture, shaking gently to remove excess flour. Coat with the egg-white mixture and then remove with a fork, one by one, allowing any excess egg-white mixture to drip off. Transfer to the bread-crumb bag. Shake to coat well with the bread crumbs. Transfer back to the egg-white mixture. Repeat the egg-dipping and breading process a second time. Place the twice-breaded shrimp, one at a time, on the reserved baking sheet in a single layer so they do not touch. Continue until all of the shrimp are twice-breaded. Lightly mist with oil spray.

Bake for 5 minutes. Carefully flip the shrimp. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the breading crisps but is far from completely browned. Serve with cocktail sauce, if desired.

MAKES 1 SERVING (NUMBER VARIES ACCORDING TO SIZE OF SHRIMP)

227 calories, 20 g protein, 31 g carbohydrates, 2 g fat, trace sat. fat, 1 g fiber

Original Long John Silver’s Crunchy Shrimp Basket (shrimp only, 21 pieces): 340 calories, 12 g protein, 32 g carbohydrates, 19 g fat, 5 g sat. fat, 2 g fiber

DRIVE-THRU These shrimp can be made in big batches and then stored for up to a month in the freezer before being baked. Simply line an airtight container with waxed paper. Lay the breaded shrimp in single layers, separating each layer with a sheet of waxed paper. When you’re ready to eat them, bake the frozen shrimp according to the recipe directions for 5 to 7 minutes per side.

BEFORE YOU START Long John Silver’s uses smaller shrimp in their Crunchy Shrimp Basket than are available in most supermarkets (they seemed to be 91 to 120 count at the restaurants I visited). If you are able to find shrimp that small, go ahead and try them out! If not, as long as you remember that 2½ ounces is a little more than 1⁄8 of a pound, your finished dish will weigh the same—you’ll just have bigger pieces to enjoy. Also, if you prefer, you can prepare one of the low-fat tartar sauces (Popeyes Tartar Sauce, McDonald’s Tartar Sauce, or Burger King Tartar Sauce) instead of using bottled cocktail sauce.