Sweet N Spicy Shrimp Tacos
I’ve always liked the combination of sweet coconut shrimp dipped in spicy horseradish orange marmalade. So, there I was, leaning against the counter one night wondering what to cook for dinner. For whatever reason, that appetizer that I had so many years prior, popped into my head. I had shrimp, coconut flakes and slaw. Perfecto! The rest is history.
The Salsa:
1/4 yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 bunch cilantro, rough chopped
2 jalapeno, stem removed
1 tbs lime juice
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 – 28 oz can diced petite tomatoes
1/4 c water
Salt and white pepper to taste
The Shrimp:
2/3 cup coconut flakes
2/3 c plain breadcrumbs
2 lg eggs
1/2 c all purpose flour
32 medium shrimp, cleaned, deveined and butterflied
Oil for frying
The Slaw:
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp white sugar
1/3 c mayo
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste
5 c pre-packaged slaw mix
The Rest:
1 c orange marmalade
2/3 tbs horseradish
16 corn tortillas, 2 per taco
1 c fresh cilantro, chopped
Preheat your deep fryer to 330°
To make your salsa, add everything to your blender or food processor and puré until smooth. Transfer to Mason jars and refrigerate until ready to use.
Next, were going to prep our shrimp. Start off by combining the coconut and breadcrumbs in a bowl, mix well and set aside. Add the eggs to a seperate bowl and give it a few whisks. Set aside. Now, add the flour to a separate dowl. You can season the flour if you like, I prefer not to use too much added salt in my recipes. You should have three bowls in front of you; the coconut/breadcrumb mixture, the eggs and the flour. Line a sheet pan and set aside. Start off by dredging your shrimp in the flour, one at a time. Give it a little shake to dust off excess flour. Coat your shrimp in the egg and roll in the breadcrumb mixture. Arrange on your sheet pan. Repeat this process until all the shrimp has been prepped. Transfer the sheet pan to your freezer and allow to set up while you prepare the other garnish.
Get the slaw ready by combining the vinegar, sugar and mayo in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the slaw mix and toss until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make your marmalade sauce by combining the marmalade and horseradish in a bowl. Mix well. Cover and set aside until ready to use.
Heat your tortillas on a flat top or in a nonstick pan over medium high heat. Loosely wrap the stack of tortillas in parchment and butcher paper and set aside.
Now it’s time to cook your shrimp. Remove the sheet pan from the freezer and immediately begin deep frying your shrimp in batches. Fry until they become golden brown, about a minute. Transfer to paper towls and repeat process.
Once everything is prepared, put these tacos together by arranging 2 tortillas per taco on each plate. Top with about 1/4-1/3 c slaw. Add 4 shrimp per taco. Spoon some of the marmalade over the shrimp and add a little salsa. Sprinkle each taco with cilantro and there you go. Appetizer turned taco.
Girl-Chef Tastes 