Coconut Shrimp with Red Curry Sauce

Coconut Shrimp with Red Curry Sauce

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence
Difficulty: Easy
Yield: About 20 shrimp

Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 large egg whites
[1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper]
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups flaked coconut
1 1/2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled with tails on
Red Curry Sauce, recipe follows
1 green onion, white and green part, chopped
1 handful fresh mint, hand-torn

Heat 3 inches of oil in a large deep skillet or heavy pot to 325 degrees F.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch, egg whites, [cayenne pepper, ]salt, and pepper until foamy. Spread the coconut out in a pie dish. Dredge the shrimp with the cornstarch/egg white mixture and shake off any excess. Press the shrimp into the coconut flakes; turn shrimp over and press into coconut again to coat both sides.

Deep-fry the shrimp in batches until the coconut is golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp to paper towels to drain. [I put them on a metal cooling rack on top of a baking sheet.] Arrange the shrimp on a platter, serve immediately with red curry sauce and garnish with green onion and mint.

Vodka Lemonade

Vodka Lemonade

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 8 to 10 servings

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water, plus 8 cups
4 lemons, juiced
Vodka
Ice cubes

In a saucepan, combine the sugar and 1/3 cup water and place over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cook the sugar until dissolved but the syrup is still clear. Do not cook the sugar until it starts to turn color. Remove from heat and cool.

In a pitcher, combine the syrup, 8 cups water, the lemon juice, vodka and ice and stir to combine. Pour into tall glasses and enjoy!

Personal Note: I don't make this with the vodka, but Tyler is right on about the simple syrup. I keep some on hand in the fridge even, so that mixed drinks and fresh squeezed summer juices are just a fruit squeeze away. Yum. Then I just keep refilling and stirring the contents of the pitcher in the fridge as it dwindles. Sometimes i add a bit of vodka to an individual serving, and it is indeed a refreshing way to have it in the summertime. I also use filtered water when I make this, but that's more just so that it's cold right away. I don't add ice, but a sprig of mint is nice now and then. I add the zest from the lemons in long solid peels to the pitcher, but I don't know if it actually helps any...I just can't bear to throw away perfectly good skins.