Chef challenge: Tragically Hip-inspired shrimp and coconut masala tacos, coconut cream pie

When it came time to choose a challenge for chefs on this month's D is for Dinner challenge, All in a Day listeners wanted something to do with The Tragically Hip. 

Ruth Znotins wrote in: "Hi! How about suggestions for appetizers or a meal to accompany watching the final concert by The Tragically Hip from home, TV, or picnic basket in a park?"

Jen Mulligan asked: "Any chance the chefs could come up with some kind of Tragically Hip-inspired creation to enjoy while watching the last Hip show airing Aug. 20 on CBC? (I can't be the only one who could use this.) I'm having a few friends over and we're projecting it on my barn."

There's no shortage of Hip-related lyrics about food and eating — from melancholy wine-soaked tenderness, eating chicken slow (because it's full of all them little bones), eating runny eggs in slow motion, or the heat in the frozen food section. And then there's the eating in I'm A Werewolf Baby — but do all those references lend themselves to recipes?

The two chefs who took on the challenge were not exactly encyclopedic in their knowledge of the Hip, but were willing to try.

Rich Wilson from The Pomeroy House created a coconut cream pie, using the Hip's 1996 Coconut Cream song as inspiration.

Meanwhile, Joe Thottungal of Coconut Lagoon wanted to come up with a recipe with five distinct ingredients, like the five members of the Hip, so he chose whole wheat chapatis, shrimp, coconut, lime and raita. (We'll leave it to you to decide which ingredient goes with Downie, Baker, Sinclair, Fay and Langlois.)

Shrimp and coconut masala tacos

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. black tiger shrimps.
• 1 cup shallots, sliced.
• 2 tbsp. ginger, julienned.
• 2 tbsp. garlic, julienned.
• 2 sprigs curry leaves, washed.
• ½ cup fresh coconut slivers.
• ¼ cup coconut oil.
• 1 tsp. chili powder.
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder.
• 1 tsp. coriander powder.
• 1 tbsp. lime juice.
• Salt, to taste.
• Cucumber and tomato raita for garnish, if desired.

Directions:

1. Marinate shrimp with all the spices and lime juice for six hours.
2. Heat a pan and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, sauté the garlic, ginger, onions with curry leaves until slightly browned.
3. Add marinated shrimps and stir fry until cooked.
4. Add salt to taste and serve it in a chapati (similar to a taco) with some cucumber and tomato raita if desired.

Whole wheat chapatis

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour.
• 3 tsp. vegetable oil.
• Salt, to taste.

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a deep bowl and knead into a soft dough using some water.
2. Divide the dough into six portions and roll out each portion of the dough into a thin circle six inches in diameter using a little whole wheat flour for rolling.
3. Heat a non-stick griddle on a high flame and when hot, place the chapatis gently over it.
4. Cook until small blisters appear on the surface, then turn over and press all over lightly using a muslin cloth until it puffs up.
5. Apply oil on both sides and cook for few more seconds.

Coconut cream pie

Shortcrust pastry (pate brisee)

Ingredients:

• 5 cups flour.
• 1 lb. cold unsalted butter, cubed.
• ¾ cup ice water (may need more or less).
• 1 tsp. sugar.
• 1 tsp. salt.

Directions:

1. Combine salt, sugar and flour in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until butter is mostly incorporated.
2. With food processor on, drizzle ice water in until dough begins to clump together.
3. Dump onto counter and use the heel of your hand push the dough across the counter. This helps combine the dough and break down strands of gluten.
4. Press dough together and divide in two. Wrap and let rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.
5. Roll out dough on floured surface. Cut out rounds one inch larger than ring moulds. Lift the dough into the rings and press against the edges, just like in a normal tart shell. Use the rolling pin to remove the extra dough across the top of the ring.
6. Chill 20 minutes. Line with foil and fill with dried beans. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Coconut cream filling

Ingredients:

• 3 cups coconut milk.
• 1 ½ cups milk.
• 1 cup sugar.
• ½ cup cornstarch.
• 8 egg yolks.
• 2 tsp. vanilla.
• 1 tsp. salt.
• 2 cups 35 per cent cream, whipped.

Directions:

1. Bring coconut milk and milk to a simmer.
2. Whisk sugar into egg yolks until sugar is dissolved and yolks are lighter in colour. Whisk in cornstarch.
3. Temper egg yolks with half the hot milk and add all the eggs back into the pot. Whisk constantly until thick. Pour into bowl and press plastic wrap onto the surface. Cool completely.
4. Whisk whipped cream into cold coconut cream and add vanilla.

Pineapple caramel

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup butter.
• ½ cup brown sugar.
• 1 tsp. cinnamon.
• 1 tsp. allspice.
• 2 cloves.
• 1 tsp. salt.
• ½ tsp. pink peppercorns.
• 1 cup sugar.
• ¼ cup water.
• 1 pineapple, cored and cut in wedges.

Directions:

1. Melt butter and brown sugar together in a pan. Add spices and salt and let bubble to thicken a bit. Add pineapple and let cook until caramelized and golden. Puree in food processor until chunky. Set aside.
2. Make amber caramel in a pot. Add pineapple mixture and let cool.

Lime curd

Ingredients:

• 6 egg yolks.
• 135 g. lime juice.
• 125 g. sugar.
• 100 g. butter, cut in cubes.

Directions:

1. Combine yolks, lime juice and sugar in a pot. Put over medium heat and whisk constantly until thickened. Turn off heat and mount with butter.

Spicy walnuts

Ingredients:

• 1 egg white.
• Walnuts.
• Pinch of cayenne pepper.
• Pinches of sugar and salt, to taste.

Directions:

1. Whisk an egg white until foamy. Add walnuts, a pinch of cayenne and a few pinches of sugar and salt. Bake on parchment paper-lined tray at 350 F until toasted.