I like to kick back and enjoy these tasty toasts with a cold beer, but they’re also a great appetizer before a Thai salad. Or throw them on top of a simple spinach salad, which will wilt from the heat in the most delicious way. Here’s another idea: make bite-size square toasts and serve them as a casual hors d’oeuvre.

Curtis Stone’s sesame shrimp toast

SERVES: 4
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 10 minutes
MAKE-AHEAD: The shrimp mixture can be made up to 1 day ahead, covered, and refrigerated.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces peeled and deveined small shrimp (21 to 25 per pound)
• 2 tablespoons purchased green curry paste
• 1 large egg yolk
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 9 ¼-inch-thick slices white bread
• ½ cup white sesame seeds
• Canola oil, for deep-frying
• Sweet chile sauce (recipe below; optional)

Method:

In a small food processor, combine the shrimp, curry paste, egg yolk, and salt and process until a smooth puree forms. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Trim the crusts from the bread, leaving rectangles that are 4 x 3 inches. Cut the bread slices lengthwise in half.

Spread 2 teaspoons of the shrimp mixture over each piece of bread. Sprinkle the sesame seeds heavily over the shrimp mixture so that the sesame seeds cover most of it.

Pour 3 inches of oil into a large heavy pot and heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 375°F. Add 4 of the toasts and fry, using a slotted spoon to keep the toasts submerged as much as possible, for about 1½ minutes, or until the bread is crisp and the sesame seeds are golden brown. Transfer the toasts to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain. Season lightly with salt. Repeat with the remaining toasts.

Serve with the sweet chile sauce, if desired.

Sweet chile sauce:
MAKES: about 1 cup

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup rice vinegar
• ½ cup water
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

In a small saucepan, combine all of the ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil the sauce for 6 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced by one third, and remove from the heat.

Courtesy Curtis Stone
Recipe from Curtis’s latest cookbook, Good Food Good Life
www.curtisstone.com
@curtis_stone