Coconut shrimp is one of my favorite appetizers.  After having some fantastic coconut shrimp at Bonefish Grill, it was time to try my hand at making coconut shrimp.  I, however, am not going to try deep frying things at home, so I looked into making a baked version.  Now I have to confess, in my opinion these aren’t as good as Bonefish Grill’s, but Dad said they were the best coconut shrimp he’s ever had.  Check them out and let me know what you think.

Baked Coconut Shrimp with Apricot Dipping Sauce

Makes about 12

Adapted from SkinnyTaste

• 1 pkg (11-15 count) large raw shrimp, peeled and deviened
• 3/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut (partially crushed), toasted
• 3/4 cup panko (breadcrumbs), toasted
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp salt (plus a bit more directly on the shrimp)
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 large egg

Preheat oven to 425°F.  Grease a wire cooling rack with cooking spray over a baking sheet, and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine coconut and panko.  In a separate bowl, whisk together cornstarch, salt and cayenne.  In a third bowl, beat the eggs lightly.

Lightly season the shrimp with salt.  Dip the shrimp in the cornstarch bowl, shaking off excess, then dip in the egg, then in the coconut mixture.  If you desire a double breading, dip the shrimp back in the egg and then in the coconut mixture a second time.  I found it helpful to scoop coconut onto the shrimp, rather than just dipping the shrimp in the crumbs.

Lay the shrimp on the greased wire rack on the baking sheet, then lightly spray the tops of the shrimp with cooking spray.  Bake on the middle rack for about 15-18 minutes, or until shrimp tails are bright pink.  (The originally recipe suggests flipping the shrimp after 10 minutes, but I found that that caused the breading to fall off the bottom.)

Apricot Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 cup apricot preserves (I used Smuckers Simply Fruit)
• 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

In a bowl, whisk all the ingredients together.  Let flavors meld for as long as possible, or at least 30 minutes.