Let's Talk Coconut

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Pina Colada

A Piña Colada can be made a bit more pungent by using a mix of light and dark rum. For a slightly pulpier drink, substitute 2 ounces crushed pineapple for 2 ounces pineapple juice. Do not mistake coconut milk for cream of coconut.

INGREDIENTS

2 ounces light rum
2 ounces cream of coconut
1 ounce heavy cream
4 ounces unsweetened pineapple juice
Slice of pineapple and a maraschino cherry

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the rum, cream of coconut, heavy cream, and pineapple juice in a blender, and blend for a few seconds. Add 1/2 cup crushed ice, and blend for another 15 seconds, or until smooth. Pour into an exotic glass of your choice. Garnish with a pineapple slice and a maraschino cherry.

Variations

Chi Chi: Substitute vodka for the rum.
Banana Colada: Peel, slice, and freeze 3 bananas; then add them to the blender in place of the ice.

Coconut Almond Granola

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats (I used thick cut, but old fashioned rolled oats are fine)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 300*. Heat honey until thin. Add other coatings. Mix well. Add coconut, almonds and oats and stir to coat well. Spread onto a well greased with cooking spray non-stick cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Stir mixture. Bake for another 5 minutes. Stir again. Bake 2-7 minutes more, until mixture is golden brown.

Makes about 4.5 cups. Each 1/4 cup is about 100 calories.

Coconut Shrimp Soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 pound carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 ounces angel hair pasta
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Coarse salt
4 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions

Heat oil in a large (3-quart) saucepan over medium-low heat. Add ginger, garlic, and pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots, coconut milk, and 3 cups water. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until smooth; add to pot. Bring to a boil.
Break pasta in half; add to pot. Return to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until pasta is al dente and carrots are just tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add shrimp; stir until opaque, about 1 minute. Remove pot from heat, and stir in lime juice; season with salt. Ladle into serving bowls, and garnish with scallions.

Yield: 4 servings

Oven-Fried Coconut Chicken (makes 8 drumsticks)

1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp hot pepper sauce (I used Tabasco)
1 14-oz. can coconut milk
8 chicken drumsticks (you can also use wings, breasts, heads, whatever)
3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
3/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Cooking spray

1. Open the can of coconut milk and mix in lime juice and hot pepper sauce. Pour into a large ziptop plastic bag (or 2 small bags). Add chicken and seal. Marinate in the fridge for half an hour to an hour, depending on how desperately hungry you are.

2. Go do something else. Like dishes.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

4. Combine panko, coconut flakes, salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish. Mix with your hands. Remove chicken from marinade and dredge in the mixture, 1 piece at a time.

5. Place chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment. If you don't have parchment, use aluminum foil but add a light coat of cooking spray. Lightly coat chicken with cooking spray also.

6. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully turn chicken over with tongs and bake for another 30 minutes or until done.

Coconut Shrimp

Ingredients

Canola or safflower oil, for frying
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt, eyeball it in palm of hand
2 pinches ground cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder, available on spice aisle
1 lime
1 cup shredded coconut
2 egg whites
1 pound large fantail shrimp, deveined and peeled -- ask for easy peels at fish counter

Heat 2 inches oil over medium high heat. A cube of bread should brown in a 10 count when oil is ready.
Season bread crumbs with salt, cayenne pepper and five-spice powder. Cut the lime into wedges and reserve.

Toss coconut with seasoned bread crumbs to combine. Lightly beat the egg whites. Dip shrimp in the egg whites, then coat with the coconut breading. Fry shrimp 5 minutes in hot oil until evenly golden and crispy. Garnish with lime wedges and serve.

Indonesian Coconut Rice

INGREDIENTS:


2 tablespoons organic canola oil
1 yellow onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 scallions minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
2 teaspoons sugar, or to taste
4 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup shredded coconut
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion and garlic, and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the scallions, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, mustard, red pepper flakes, cloves, and sugar, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to mix evenly. Gently stir in the coconut. Season to taste with salt and pepper and heat until hot. Cover, and set aside for 5 minutes before serving.

Note: For the presentation shown in the photo, pack a portion of the hot rice mixture into a small bowl, place a dinner plate on top (face down) then flip over to unmold the rice in the center of the plate. It is now ready to be sprinkled with toasted coconut and peanuts and surrounded by stir-fried vegetables, tempeh, or other accompaniments.

Yield: Serves 4

Paula Deen's Jamie's Coconut Cake

Cake:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
2 cup sugar
3 cup sifted self-rising flour
4 eggs
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling:

3/4 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup flaked, sweetened coconut

Frosting:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1 tablespoon white corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
2 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 to 3 cups coconut, flaked and sweetened

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans. Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4 inches above counter, then dropping it flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Cool in pans for 5 to 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling racks. Cool completely and spread cake layers with your favorite frosting to make a 3-layer cake.

While cake is baking, prepare filling. Stir together sugar, sour cream, milk and coconut in a bowl until well blended. Remove cake layers from oven and allow cake to remain in pan as you prepare to stack and fill. Remove first layer and invert onto cake plate. Using the wrong end of a wooden spoon, poke holes approximately 1 inch apart until entire cake has been poked. Spread one third of filling mixture on cake layer. Top with second layer, repeat process. Top with last layer and repeat process again. (As I stack layers together, I stick them with toothpicks to prevent cake from shifting.) You can place the cake in the refrigerator for 3 days to allow it to absorb the filling mixture.

Place sugar, cream of tartar or corn syrup, salt, water, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler. Beat with a handheld electric mixer for 1 minute. Place pan over boiling water, being sure that boiling water does not touch the bottom of the top pan. Beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle top and sides of cake with coconut.



Coconut Macaroons

14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large egg whites at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until they make medium-firm peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.

Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using either a 1 3/4-inch diameter ice cream scoop, or 2 teaspoons. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and serve.

Source: Cooking Light
Gourmet Magazine
marthastewart.com
chow.com
foodnetwork.com
pauladeen.com
vegan.com