Shrimp Toast Bites

Very often, I eat something that I immediately want to learn how to recreate. This leads to frequent trips back to the restaurant, during my attempt to mimic the dish, so that I can try to hit each flavor and texture mark. Great for my palate, not so much for my waist and wallet.I love shrimp toast. And when I have small dinner parties where I can serve them immediately, these have become my go-to appetizer. When making these for the kids, they rarely have enough time to make it through the cool-down stage before being devoured!

Sesame Shrimp Toast

Ingredients:

½ inch piece ginger, peeled
2 garlic cloves
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 bunch cilantro
1/4 cup water chestnuts
1 egg white
2 ramps (when ramps aren't in season, I use 2 scallions)
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium, i you prefer)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
salt and pepper to taste

1/2 loaf sourdough or pullman bread, crusts removed and cut into 1 inch squares
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Directions:
1. Into the cup of an immersion blender, place ginger, garlic cloves, cilantro, water chestnuts, egg white, ramps soy sauce, and sesame oil.  Puree.

2. Add shrimp and pulse immersion blender just to combine into a coarse paste.

3. Spread about 3/4 tablespoon of mixture onto a square of bread and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

4. Pour oil into a heavy bottom skillet and heat pan on medium heat.

5. Carefully place ONE square of bread, shrimp-side down and fry for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown.

6. Flip square over and fry (on bread side) for another 2 minutes, until bread becomes golden brown.  

7. Remove from frying pan and taste for salt. Drain on paper towel. Sprinkle with kosher salt and a few more sesame seeds.

8. Add additional salt to main batch of paste, based on "test square".

9. Repeat steps 5-8 with remaining paste and bread, working in batches, until all bread squares have been fried with shrimp paste. 

10. Serve hot.

Eat, Drink and Be Yummy!