 | Coconut ShrimpChef Ian Wismann-Horther of Bastion | Nashville, TN |
I’ve used Perfect Purée for years and stand behind the product—it’s truly versatile. I usually lean on it for desserts, but I wanted to highlight its range with a savory seafood dish. This recipe brings together shrimp, coconut, passion fruit, and nasturtium—a kind of hybrid between shrimp cocktail and coconut shrimp, but lighter and fresher. The shrimp acts as the base, with the coconut providing richness, the passion fruit offering bright acidity, and the nasturtium adding freshness and a hint of spice. It’s playful, tropical, and meant to be eaten with your hands—a fun bite that’s as surprising as it is balanced.
Ingredients for Shrimp:
• Argentine pink shrimp, heads and shells reserved
• kosher salt, to taste
• lemons, halved
• bay leaves
Ingredients for Coconut Fat:
• 1 can coconut cream
• 5 shrimp heads and shells
• 2 bay leaves
• salt, to taste
Ingredients for Passion Fruit Gel:
• 500 g. The Perfect Purée Passion Fruit Concentrate, thawed
• 75 g. sugar
• 7.5 g. agar agar
To Assemble and Serve:
• nasturtium leaves (trimmed ¼ inch from stem; arranged from small to large)
• fancy salt (such as Maldon)
• coconut water
• dried shrimp powder
Method for Shrimp:
Peel and devein shrimp, reserving heads and shells. Skewer each shrimp flat to prevent curling during cooking. Blanch in seasoned water with salt, lemon halves, and bay leaves for 1–2 minutes, depending on size. Transfer immediately to an ice bath to stop cooking. Once cool, remove from skewers and pat dry with paper towels.
Method for Coconut Fat:
Grill shrimp heads and shells until bright red and aromatic. Grill bay leaves until fragrant. (Alternatively, toast in the oven or a pan if a grill isn’t available.) Combine the grilled heads, shells, and bay leaves with coconut cream in a pot. Simmer for 10–15 minutes, then cover and infuse for 30 minutes off heat. Strain through a chinois, pressing the shrimp heads to extract all the liquid. Season with salt, then strain again through cheesecloth. Chill overnight, allowing the coconut fat to separate and solidify on top. Transfer the coconut fat to a piping bag and the coconut water to an atomizer for service.
Method for Passion Fruit Gel:
Combine Perfect Purée Passion Fruit Concentrate and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then whisk in agar agar and return to a boil. Pour into a shallow pan and chill until set. Once firm, blend until smooth using a high-powered blender or immersion blender. Pass through a fine mesh strainer and transfer to a piping bag.
To Assemble and Serve:
Fill a bowl with ice to form a rounded dome. Create two indentations for the shrimp. Lay shrimp flat and pipe two equal lines—from top to bottom—of Passion Fruit Gel and Coconut Fat. Sprinkle with fancy salt. Lightly mist with coconut water to help the dried shrimp powder and nasturtium adhere. Dust with dried shrimp powder and layer nasturtium leaves from large to small down the shrimp. Serve immediately.