Farmer's Market Finds

We went to the Farmer's Market over the weekend and got lots of local goodies. One of our finds was colossal shrimp. They really were huge. There were 13 shrimp to a pound, so to say the least, they were sizable and filling. I ocassionally like to eat fried foods, but I don't make them at home because it uses so much oil, and it's messy. I found this recipe for baked coconut shrimp and it's really simple, quick and yummy.

Baked Coconut Shrimp from Better Homes & Gardens

• 24 fresh or frozen medium-large shrimp in shells
• 1 1/2 c. shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted
• 1/4 c. cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 lightly beaten egg whites

Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Peel and devein shrimp leaving the tails intact. Rinse shrimp, pat dry with paper towels and set aside.

Spray non-stick cooking spray on the bottom of a 15x10x1- inch baking sheet, set aside. In a large shallow dish, combine toasted coconut, cornstarch, sugar and salt. In another small shallow dish place the beaten egg whites. Dip shrimp into the egg whites then coat with coconut being sure to press the coconut mixture onto the shrimp. Arrange shrimp in prepared pan.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until shrimp are opaque and coconut is golden. Serve with mango chutney or plum sauce.

NOTE: I have made this more than once, and I thought I would try it with pre-separated egg whites in the carton. It doesn't quite work the same. The egg whites in the carton tend to be watery and "real" egg whites are thicker which helps the coconut adhere to the shrimp.

I have served this with all kinds of sauces (apricot, plum, tartar and cocktail sauces) and they're all good. I served it with spicy mango chutney that we got from the farmer's market and it was a really nice balance to the sweetness of the shrimp.

Use your best judgement when choosing shrimp. I used 1 lb. of colossal shrimp (13 pieces) if you buy smaller shrimp you will need more, obviously, but don't buy 24 huge shrimp or you won't have enough coconut to go around.