Gingery Shrimp Toasts Recipes

BAKED SHRIMP TOASTS

Steps:

• Cook garlic and ginger in oil in an 8- to 9-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add mirin, soy sauce, and salt (omit salt if making ahead; see cooks' note, below) and simmer, stirring, 15 seconds. Transfer marinade to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
• Add shrimp and cilantro, tossing to coat, and marinate, covered and chilled, 1 hour.
• Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Turn bread loaf on its side and evenly cut crust from bottom of loaf using a long serrated knife, discarding crust, then cut a 3/8-inch-thick slice from bottom and trim crust from sides of slice. Put slice on a baking sheet (reserve rest of loaf for another use) and bake, turning over once, until dry but not colored, 8 minutes total. Remove bread from oven but leave on baking sheet.
• Immediately increase oven temperature to 475°F.
• Spread top of hot toast with all of shrimp mixture, packing it down into a thick even layer and covering surface entirely. Make sure oven temperature has reached 475°F, then bake shrimp toast until topping is cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer with a large flat spatula to a rack to cool 5 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board.
• Halve shrimp toast crosswise with a very sharp knife, then cut each half lengthwise into fourths, making 8 strips total. Cut each strip into 4 pieces. Serve toasts warm or at room temperature.
• *Available at Asian markets and some supermarkets.

CHEF JOHN'S SHRIMP TOAST

Steps:

• Place shrimp, water chestnuts, cilantro leaves, green onions, garlic, grated ginger, anchovy filet, sesame oil, fish sauce, soy sauce, egg white, sugar, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times; scrape down sides of bowl. Continue to process until mixture is well blended and reaches a paste consistency, 1 or 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to blend the flavors, about 1 hour.
• Very lightly toast bread slices. Trim crusts from bread. Spread shrimp paste onto bread in an equal thickness as the bread. Cut slices in half and then diagonally into diamond shapes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Place a heavy skillet over medium-high heat; pour in about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil. When oil is hot, place bread slices, paste side down, into the oil. Fry until crispy, 2 to 3 minute per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve hot or warm garnished with additional sliced green onions.

SHRIMP TOAST WITH FRESH GINGER

Steps:

• With the machine running, drop the scallions and ginger into the bowl of a food processor to mince them. Shut the machine off, add the shrimp and prosciutto and process until the mixture is well mixed and chopped fine. This mincing can be done by hand instead of machine.
• Dissolve the cornstarch in the sherry and mix into the shrimp mixture.
• Spread about one tablespoon of the mixture evenly on each slice of bread, spreading it to the edges. Cut each slice of bread in four on the diagonal to make triangles. Dip the shrimp side of each triangle in the bread crumbs to coat it lightly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a wok or skillet. Fry the triangles a few at a time shrimp side down first until lightly brown, then turn to fry the bread side. Drain on absorbent paper, then serve, or freeze to reheat in the oven and serve later.

SHRIMP TOAST WITH PICKLED GINGER

Steps:

• In a food processor blend the shallots, the garlic, the gingerroot, the Sherry, the salt, the sugar, the cornstarch, the egg white, the chopped coriander, and the soy sauce, add the shrimp, pulsing the motor, and purée the mixture until it is paste-like but not completely smooth.
• Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of the shrimp mixture on each slice of bread, rounding off the top, dip the coated side of each slice in the bread crumbs, shaking off the excess, and cut each slice into 4 triangles. The shrimp toasts may be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance and kept covered tightly with plastic wrap and chilled.
• In a large heavy skillet heat 1 1/2 inches of the oil to 360°F. and in it fry the shrimp toasts, coated sides down first, in batches, for 1 minute on each side, or until they are golden. Let the shrimp toasts drain well on paper towels, garnish each shrimp toast with some of the pickled ginger and 1 of the coriander leaves, and serve the shrimp toasts immediately.