Good Food

COCONUT GRILLED SHRIMP & SWEET SALSA

INGREDIENTS:

SALSA
1 1/2 cup canned or fresh crushed pineapple, drained
1 jalapeno chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
salt to taste

GRILLED SHRIMP
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger root
1 tablespoon brown sugar
20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
freshly ground black pepper
3 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup cilantro sprigs
4 metal or bamboo (soaked in water) skewers

SALSA DIRECTIONS:
Place the pineapple, jalapeno pepper and red pepper in abowl and toss to combine. Season to taste with lime juice and salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

GRILLED SHRIMP DIRECTIONS:
Combine the coconut milk, lime juice, soy sauce, ginger and brown sugar in a shallow bowl. Add the shrimp, toss to coat the shrimp evenly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. Preheat the grill to medium. Remove the shrimp from the coconut mixture. Season with salt and pepper and place shrimp on each skewer. Place the skewers on the grill and cook until the shrimp are just done, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

To serve, spoon some rice on each plate, remove the shrimp from the skewer and top with the salsa. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Yield: 4 Servings

BUYING FRESH SHRIMP:
Shrimp are sold either raw with the heads on; raw in the shell without the heads; raw and peeled and deveined; cooked in the shell; or cooked, peeled and deveined. Fresh shrimp may have descriptive market names, such as "jumbo"or "large," but they're usually sold by count, or by number per pound. In general, the larger the shrimp, the lower the count -- and the higher the price. How much? About 1 pound whole shrimp, 1/2 pound headless unpeeled shrimp or 1/4 pound headless peeled shrimp per serving.