Cádiz, Andalusia
The shrimp fritters of Cádiz — the thinnest, laciest, most impossibly crisp fried food in Spain. A batter of chickpea flour, wheat flour, and very cold sparkling water barely coats tiny live camarones (baby shrimp or small raw prawns) and is dropped in spoons into very hot olive oil. The result should be almost transparent in places, lacy at the edges, with the shrimp clearly visible through the batter. The key is the opposite of most frying technique: maximum water content in the batter, maximum heat in the oil, maximum speed. The batter does not cook through — it crisps at the edges while the interior barely sets. These are among the most technically demanding of all tapas.
The batter must be very thin — close to the consistency of crêpe batter. Cold sparkling water maintains the lightness. Fresh or very fresh small shrimp — frozen shrimp release water when frying and destroy the batter structure. Oil at 190°C minimum. Drop in small portions with a spoon — the fritter should be roughly 8-10cm across and very thin. Cook 90 seconds per side maximum.
The camarones of the Bay of Cádiz are tiny, translucent, and sweet — if genuinely unavailable, use the smallest brown shrimp obtainable and increase the proportion of shrimp to batter. Add finely chopped fresh parsley and a little onion to the batter — this is the traditional Cádiz version. Serve immediately — these deteriorate within 3-4 minutes.
Thick batter — these must be thin. Frozen shrimp — the water destroys the crispness. Oil temperature too low — the batter absorbs fat before it can crisp. Making them too large — they must cook through before the edges burn.
Made in Spain by José Andrés