The China Moon Café was an iconic San Francisco restaurant that I never had the opportunity to visit before it closed. Its related cookbook penned by owner, Barbara Tropp, remains one of the most readable and hunger inducing while doing so cookbooks of all time. One of the recipes included is Chef Tropp's version of takeout shrimp toasts, on ficelle rather than white bread.
I made my own, shallow fried, version of these on rounds of white bread while my son was visiting as an added insurance that he would do so again soon if I promised to make them then...they are that good!
This recipe serves two very greedy people as a side to drinks.
1/2 lb shelled and tailed shrimp
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp grated ginger root
2 tsps finely chopped green onion
splash of sake
Salt and white pepper to taste
6 rounds of bread
1 Tbsp of vegetable oil
Take all of your frustrations out by chopping the shrimp exceedingly finely until they are turned into a chunky paste.
Place in a bowl and stir in the ginger, green onion, sake and salt and pepper.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a fork until very frothy. Stir this mixture into the shrimp paste.
Spread equal amounts of the paste on one side of each of the bread rounds.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium. As soon as it starts to shimmer, add the toasts, shrimp paste side down.
Cook for two minutes before gingerly flipping each toast and cooking bread side down until it is a lovely golden brown.
Flip again. Sprinkle with a little salt before serving.