Skip to content

Robert St. John

Restaurateur, author, enthusiastic traveler, & world-class eater.

Coconut Shrimp with Muscadine Dipping Sauce

A twist on the old standby from Commander’s Palace. If you can’t find muscadine jelly in your local market, then you need to move further south.

Ingredients

24 large (15-20 count) shrimp, peeled, deveined, and butterflied

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1/2 tsp Creole Seasoning

4 egg whites

2 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, or 2 1/2 cups shredded fresh coconut

Canola or peanut oil, for frying

Instructions

Three-bowl breading procedure: Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel. In the first small bowl combine cornstarch, salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning. In the second bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy. In the third bowl, place the coconut.

Coat the shrimp with the cornstarch and shake off excess. Dip into the egg white and then press into the coconut, covering entire shrimp. Keep one hand dry to make the process neater.

In a large pan, heat the oil to 350 degrees and gently submerge the shrimp, six at a time. Fry for approximately 3 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove to a rack or paper towel to drain.

Serve with Muscadine Dipping Sauce.

Yeild: 24

Recent Recipes

Stewed Squid

In a 2 quart sauce pan, heat the oil over medium and sweat the garlic and the crushed red pepper…

Read more

Cinnamon Cream Syrup

This pairs perfectly with Sweet Potato Pancakes. It may be better than the pancakes themselves (and they’re great). But try this recipe on regular pancakes, waffles, and French toast.

Read more

Sweet Potato Pancakes

I ate my first sweet potato pancake during my only visit to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. My family, along with another couple and their young children rented a cabin in the mountains during spring break. I woke every morning and headed into town for breakfast. I would imagine Gatlinburg has more pancake houses per capita than any place on the planet. My problem is that I never found a good-tasting pancake until I happened across sweet potato pancakes at one of the pancake houses. We serve a version of this recipe at The Midtowner. The Cinnamon Cream Syrup is a must.

Read more