These toasted shrimp sandwiches live up
to the warm, comforting promise of their name.
Shrimp Toast
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 pound raw medium shrimp, shells on
2 egg whites, graded large
1 egg yolk, graded large
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced OR 1 tablespoon crumbled dried
thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 slices firm white bread, crusts removed
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Bring the wine plus 1 cup of water to
a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the shrimp and boil until they
turn bright pink, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Leave
the shrimp to cool in the cooking liquid.
When cool enough to handle, peel the shrimp.
Place the shrimp in the work bowl of a food processor, along
with the egg yolk. Process in short pulses until chunky, about
4 pulses. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the ginger and
thyme. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat oven to 400*F (95*C).
Using a biscuit cutter 3-inches in diameter,
cut 2 rounds out of each slice of bread.
Spread 12 of the circles with the shrimp
mixture. Top with the remaining rounds, making 12 sandwiches.
Put the egg whites in a wide, shallow
bowl and blend with a fork.
Put the sesame seeds in another.
Dip each sandwich in the egg white, then
in the seeds. Place on a nonstick baking sheet. Brush each sandwich
lightly with olive oil. Bake until lightly browned, about 10
minutes.
Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle
the entire dish lightly with chopped parsley. Pass the shrimp
toast while still warm.
