Coconut Shrimp

I read a post last night from a dear friend, about comfort food. And it got me thinking about what I consider comfort food. For me it is anything that I have made, with love, for my family. While Coconut Shrimp may not seem to belong in this category, this night it was...

A couple of weeks ago, Karen Ray had a friend sleepover, and she really wanted Coconut Shrimp. Never one to shirk a challenge, we went for it. The part that made it challenging was that it needed to be Gluten Free, and when it comes to fried foods, that can be a little intimidating! The results were spectacular, and the substitution was simple. Sometimes a change of perspective is all that's required.

Coconut Shrimp

Ingredients:

20-30 shrimp (the bigger the better)

2-3 cups buckwheat flour

3 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

3-4 cups shredded coconut

5-6 cups vegetable oil

Pour oil in a saute pan and heat over low to medium heat. If you have a candy thermometer you want a temperature of about 350.

In a shallow bowl whisk together eggs and buttermilk. 

Shell, devein and rinse your Shrimp.

Prepare the assembly line: Buckwheat Flour, Egg and Buttermilk Mixture, Fresh Coconut, and a sheet pan covered in wax paper.

Pretend you're Henry Ford.

Cover shrimp with another sheet of wax paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Remove from the refrigerator and fry in small batches.

Tell me the new camera doesn't take GREAT pictures!

Drain on paper towels.

And all that is left is to eat them! We served ours with grilled artichokes and asparagus. The chipotle aioli on the side was for the artichokes.

These were a big, big hit! And quick and easy. And now that I think about it, you could totally make these the night before and then fry right before serving. Wouldn't that be nice if you were having company on Friday night?! Crispy, crunchy, and delicious!