Coconut Shrimp Mini Tacos and Hibiscus Margaritas

(it's tacos and margs month!)

Hi there, friends, and a happy hot Friday to you! We’ve had temps in the 90s F/30s C this week, so summer is edging towards us.

Welcome to new subscribers, I’m so glad you are here! Every Friday, you’ll receive bright and fresh California Cuisine recipes to inspire you, no matter where you live in the world.

We are in the middle of Tacos and Margaritas month. It’s been a delicious time so far with poke tacos and yuzu margaritas, quesabirria tacos and pineapple jalapeno margaritas, plus chicken verde tacos and fresh strawberry margaritas. Aren’t they all so beautiful?

Live Cook Along!

Did you get a chance to watch me and Rebecca Blackwell of Let’s Get Lost make some tacos and margs LIVE yesterday? We had such a fun time! Thank you for cooking and watching along. If you missed it, the replay is below.

Netflix Binge

Well, I’m at it again, binging another TV series on Netflix. You might remember that Chef’s Table Pizza spawned an entire month of menu plans featuring pizza? This time I’m watching Restaurants on the Edge, a reality series where failing restaurants from around the world are revived by three experts in food, marketing, and interior design.

Photo by Omar Eagle on Unsplash

Two of the episodes are based in the Caribbean, on the islands of St. Croix and St. Lucia. These captured my attention as I have yet to visit any of the Caribbean islands. The seafood, the culture, and, of course, the views looked spectacular!

So, that was my inspiration for this week’s menu: coconut shrimp mini tacos and hibiscus margaritas!

Recipes

Coconut Shrimp Mini Tacos

Serves 4

Time: 45 minutes

Crispy, coconutty, and ultra cute, these delicious tacos are fun-sized and irresistible! The coating can be prepped in advance if desired, making this an easy meal any day of the week. Many thanks to Once Upon a Chef for the coconut shrimp recipe inspo.

Notes:

• Leaving the tails on the shrimp makes it easier to dredge and place in the pan. However, if you are impatient to eat like I am, remove the tails before coating the shrimp so you don’t have to fuss with them after frying.

• Take a few minutes to toast the flour tortillas in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. It will add some crispy black and brown edges that are delicious and will make them taste 1000% better!

• Make this gluten-free by subbing in GF panko and GF tortillas.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cornstarch

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 2 lbs. raw extra-large shrimp, thawed, peeled, and patted dry

• 3 egg whites

• 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut flakes

• 1 cup panko

• oil for pan frying

• street taco-sized flour tortillas (about 4 inches diameter)

• Caribbean-style slaw (recipe below)

Directions:

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place wire racks on top. Set aside.

2. Whisk together the cornstarch and smoked paprika in a large bowl. Give the shrimp an extra pat down with paper towels to ensure they are dry, then toss them in the bowl with the cornstarch mixture. Turn to coat all the shrimp.

3. Beat the egg whites in a medium bowl with a fork until frothy and bubbly. Set aside.

4. Tip the coconut flakes and panko into a bowl or pie pan and stir to combine.

5. Take one cornstarch-coated shrimp and dip it into the egg whites, then into the coconut mixture. Press to help the mixture adhere. Place the shrimp on the prepared pan on the wire rack to keep the coating from getting soggy. Repeat with the remaining shrimp.

6. At this point, you have some choices. One, you can refrigerate the shrimp for a couple of hours before frying. Or two, you can place the pan in the freezer and flash-freeze the shrimp for several hours before transferring to a Ziploc bag and freezing for up to 3 months. Or three, you can fry them right now!

7. To fry the shrimp, pour about a half-inch of oil into a deep skillet and heat on medium-high. Once the oil is hot, place several shrimp into the oil. Don’t crowd the pan. And be sure to mind the splatter when you add the shrimp. Fry for 2 or 3 minutes until golden brown and flip to the other side for 2 more minutes. These will fry fast! Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining shrimp.

8. Now it’s time to assemble the tacos! You’ll be glad to know this is the easiest part. Place a few shrimp in a toasted tortilla, top with some slaw, and eat.

Caribbean-style Slaw

Serves 4 to 6

Time: 15-ish minutes

Crunchy coleslaw, but make it tropical! This unusual jumble of ingredients turns into a delicious garnish for tacos or a tasty side salad. Thanks to Recipe Tin Eats for the Jamaican Slaw recipe inspo.

Slaw Ingredients:

• 4 cups shredded green cabbage

• 2 cups shredded carrots

• 1 cup diced fresh pineapple

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped

• 1/8 cup finely diced jalapeno

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup light olive oil

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

• 2 Tbsp mild yellow mustard, like French’s brand

• 1 Tbsp mayonnaise

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Directions:

1. Add the slaw ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine.

2. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth. Tip the dressing over the slaw and toss until everything is coated.

3. Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat. Store leftovers covered in the fridge.

Hibiscus Margaritas

Makes 1 drink

Time: 5 minutes

These blood red hibiscus margaritas have a lovely floral scent and taste! They are also known as margaritas de Jamaica (ha-MY-ka). Yes, it is spelled the same way as the island nation, but jamaica means hibiscus in Spanish.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz tequila

• 1 oz hibiscus tea concentrate (recipe below)

• 1 oz fresh lime juice

• 1/2 oz triple sec

• 1/2 oz agave or simple syrup

• Garnish: fresh lime wheel

Directions:

1. Tip the tequila, hibiscus tea concentrate, lime juice, triple sec, and agave into a cocktail shaker.

2. Add 3 or 4 ice cubes, put the top on, and shake for 20 seconds or until chilled.

3. Fill a glass with crushed ice, then strain the cocktail over it. Garnish with lime wheel and enjoy.

Hibiscus Tea Concentrate

Yields: Around 4 cups

Time: 30-ish minutes

A lovely, floral tea concentrate that can be used in agua fresca, mocktails, cocktails, spritzers, and sorbets. I like to keep a mason jar of this in the fridge at all times.

My friend Sandra makes a huge batch of hibiscus agua fresca and brings it to our monthly ladies’ potluck. She helped me cut the recipe down to a more normal size, lol!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups water

• 1 cup dried hibiscus flowers

• 1/2 cup agave syrup

• 1 Tbsp tequila (optional)

• 1 tsp fresh lime juice (optional)

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat and add the dried hibiscus and agave. Stir, then cover and steep for 20 minutes.

2. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Discard the leaves. Tip in the tequila and lime, if using, and stir. The tequila helps to work as a preservative.

3. Pour into a mason jar or other glass container with a lid. Store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.

Buy Me a Coffee (or a Margarita!)

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The link is always at the top of my Home page. Thanks so much for your support!

Tell Me

Have you visited the Caribbean? I have yet to go and would love to hear some travel stories from you!

Next week: Can you believe it will be our last tacos and margaritas post? And it’s a doozy! I’m keeping it a surprise but a hint: it’s Asian. See you next Friday!