Coconut Shrimp is here!

 

Coconut Shrimp and Apricot Dip

During my time as a restaurant owner, we would host Hawaii night. The entire staff would wear hula skirts and leis, and our menu was a festive array of Hawaiian appetizers and entrées. One of the greatest people to work with me was my dear friend Johnny. In the kitchen, Johnny and I would prepare coconut shrimp while the rest of our kitchen staff prepared everything else. It was Johnny’s idea to soak the shrimp in coconut milk. He and I gave careful attention to the shrimp, as so many of our customers looked forward to ordering it. The Hawaii evenings are a thing of the past, but I still prepare this festive dish often.

A few weeks ago, coconut shrimp was part of my menu at Yellow Hook Grille, a warm and inviting establishment in the heart of Bay Ridge offering an eclectic beer menu and among the largest outside seating areas in the NYC metropolitan area. The owners graciously invited me to be a guest in their kitchen for a one-day event to support my son's foundation helping children with cancer. www.FrankiesMission.org. While the event was Italian themed, the coconut shrimp was a smooth addition by simply adding basil and also balsamic vinegar in place of soy sauce. Suffice to say, it was a hit as one and all enjoyed the WOW flavors!

The following recipe is the original, and this along with other fulfilling recipes can be found in my cookbook, Foodships: Living Life, One Recipe at a Time

Enjoy!

2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails left on

2 cups, plus 1/2 cup coconut milk

3 eggs

2 cups panko bread crumbs

2 cups coconut flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup flour

Vegetable oil, for frying

In a bowl, combine shrimp with two cups of the coconut milk, making sure that shrimp is well covered. Chill for one hour. In a shallow baking dish, whisk remaining coconut milk with eggs. In a separate shallow baking dish, mix panko bread crumbs and coconut flakes. Sprinkle salt and pepper in flour. Dredge shrimp in flour, then coconut milk–egg mixture, then panko-coconut mixture. Shake off excess between each dredging. In sauté pan , warm vegetable oil over medium heat. Fry shrimps in batches, without overcrowding, until golden. Serve warm with apricot dip.

Apricot Dip

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 scallions, sliced thin

Pinch of red pepper flakes or a few shots of Tabasco sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 cups apricot preserves

Heat the canola oil in a small saucepan. Add scallions and red pepper flakes. Allow to cook for a few minutes, until sizzling. Add soy sauce and apricot preserves. Allow to simmer for ten minutes. Serve warm with the coconut shrimp.

Camille’s Tip: This recipe also goes very well with chicken in place of the shrimp. Just cut chicken breast into finger slices or medallions.