To Crack and Grate Fresh Coconut - brown coconut

Method

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Pierce softest eye of coconut with a metal skewer or screwdriver and drain liquid into a bowl to sample (see note, above).
• Bake coconut in oven 15 minutes.
• With a hammer or back of a heavy cleaver break shell and with point of a strong knife remove flesh, levering it out carefully.
• Remove brown membrane with a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler.
• Fresh coconut keeps, chilled, in an airtight container 1 week.
• Grate coconut as needed on small teardrop-shaped holes of a 4-sided grater or finely chop in a food processor.
• Freshly grated coconut keeps, frozen, in an airtight container 3 months.