Parrot Bay Coconut Shrimp

This is the copycat recipe of Red Lobster's Coconut Shrimp. I got it from Todd Wilbur's cookbook Top Secret Restaurant Recipes. I've been wanting to try it for a while now, but neither Dustin nor I wanted to go to the liqueur store to get the necessary rum for the recipe. So while we were in El Paso, I asked Ray to get me some. Sarah and I tried the recipe that night and, oh my, was it delicious! Dustin, Sarah and Ray all proclaimed it as good as the original.

Parrot Bay Coconut Shrimp

For the pina colada dipping sauce:

1/2 c. sour cream

1/4 c. pina colada mix (liquid)

1/4 c. crushed pineapple

2 tb. sugar

For the shrimp:

6-10 c. canola oil (enough to deep fry)

12 lg. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 1/2 c. flour, divided

2 tb. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. milk

2 tb. Captain Morgan's Parrot Bay Coconut Rum

1 c. panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1/2 c. shredded coconut

Mix all pina colada sauce ingredients together, put in refrigerator to chill. Heat oil to 350 degrees. Butterfly the shrimp by making a cut about 2/3 of the way through the shrimp where the vein was. Put 3/4 c. flour in 1 bowl. Mix other 3/4 c. flour, sugar, salt, milk and rum in 2nd bowl. Let rest 5 minutes. Mix panko and coconut in 3rd bowl. Dip shrimp in flour, then batter, then coconut/panko mixture. Fry in hot oil for 2-3 minutes, or until shrimp are golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with pina colada dipping sauce. YUM!