When I want to eat something fried, at 12 years old, I have limited options. I don’t have a deep fryer, and even if I did, my mom wouldn’t let me use it. That’s why I like mixing prepared food with fresh ingredients.
Coconut shrimp always takes me right back to the Lava Lava Beach Club on the Big Island of Hawaii. In fact, you can even read about my last meal there in A Whale of a Trip to Remember, and I guarantee you’ll want to go there, too.
But if a plane ticket to Hawai’i isn’t in your budget, grab a box of frozen coconut shrimp (I used Sea-Pak brand and liked it a lot, even though it totally annoys me that they misspelled “Pak” in their brand name!) and you’re halfway to a good meal.
I had butter lettuce on hand so used that instead of Romaine, though I’m sure you devout foodies out there are groaning about that. I love butter lettuce and I think it’s likely just because of the name. I mean, “butter” – seriously? Who can resist buying anything that has the word “butter” in it!
Ingredients:
6 pre-made coconut shrimp (I used Sea-Pak brand and liked it a lot, even though it totally annoys me that they misspelled “Pak” in their brand name!)
8-9 Caesar croutons
1/2 t grated parmesan (optional)
4 leaves butter lettuce (or lettuce of your choice)
2 T Caesar dressing
- Cook coconut shrimp according to package directions.
- Wash butter lettuce well… because Mom is watching.
- Put the butter lettuce in a bowl with the dressing, parmesan (optional) and croutons.
- When the shrimp is done cooking, pull the tails off and put on salad.
Okay… so eating this at my kitchen counter watching the dog chase her tail is not quite as satisfying as eating coconut shrimp at the Lava Lava Beach Club as whales breach in the distance. But it’ll do until I get back on a plane destined for paradise.
Nix The Norm 