Today we’re going to make shrimp and herbed garlic mayonnaise on toast, also known as tosta de gambas.
Tostas are more or less open faced sandwiches. The base is toasted bread as you’d expect. Most often they are served warm. In a bar you’ll find the tostas on display. After taking your order the server will heat them up.
I like tostas because I eat a lot of salads and beans. I mean a lot.
As much as I enjoy a good salad, sometimes the palate and the eye wants something different. Like chicken and pineapple toasts, or goat cheese with tomato jam. They’re my treat, a meaty dessert…or at the very least a change from my usual bowl of salad.
Shrimp and Herbed Garlic is an incredible combination
The herbed mayonnaise is dead simple to make. Throw a one or two cloves of garlic and a handful of parsley into a food processor and whirl until finely chopped. I have a stick blender with a small bowl and it works great for things like this.
Next combine anywhere from a half cup to a cup of mayonnaise. It’s delicious as a spread or a dip and makes a nice base for salad dressing when combined with some vinegar or lemon juice.
Use the large shrimp (about 30 per pound). For two people you’ll want a half pound or so. Figure three shrimp per toast.
Save yourself some effort and buy the already cooked and peeled shrimp. Thaw them under cold water as needed.
Now, toast some bread, slather on the herbed mayo and top with a couple shrimp. Heaven on a piece of toast!
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound or so large shrimp; peeled, deveined and cooked (figure three shrimp per toast)
- 6 slices of baguette or similar bread; about an inch thick (figure two or three toasts per person)
- olive oil for the bread if toasting on a grill
- 1 – 2 cloves garlic peeled
- handful of parsley leaves and stems
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (up to a cup can be used)
- salt and pepper to taste
- lemon for garnish and to squeeze over top if desired
Instructions
- Prepare the garlic mayonnaise by whirling the garlic cloves along with the parsley in a food processor until finely chopped. Add to the mayonnaise. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Toast the bread however you like. I brushed mine with olive oil and toasted them on a grill pan.
- Warm the shrimp. I used the grill pan after I finished with the toast.
- Generously spread the herb mayonnaise on the toast and top with three shrimp.
- Arrange on a tray and garnish with chopped parsley and sliced lemon as desired.
These are delicious by themselves or as part of a buffet, but my favorite way to serve them lately has been alongside a nice salad. They’re tostas after all. Spain’s open faced sandwich.
More good things on toast:
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