Dinner Party Recipe: Shrimp Toast With Sriracha Mayo

“I love this dish because it comes together quickly and has some exotic-sounding ingredients that are actually quite easy to find. It’s great for a passed hors d’oeuvre, and it can even be a main course when served whole with a green salad. It will add a bit of adventure to your dinner party and some unexpected flavors for your guests. But it’s really simple, and is wonderful with cocktails.” —Carlos Salazar, Rook

Serves 6–8 as a first course

1 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup Sriracha
1/4 cup rice-wine vinegar
12 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 ounces Chinese rice wine
2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce (sambal)
2 teaspoons finely chopped lemongrass
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 scallions, green and white parts separated, thinly sliced
1/2 cup white sesame seeds
4 slices Pullman loaf, sliced 1/2-inch thick, crusts removed
Vegetable oil for frying

Whisk together mayonnaise, Sriracha, and rice-wine vinegar in a small bowl and set aside. Puree shrimp, chili-garlic sauce, lemongrass, fish sauce, and ginger in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt to taste and pulse again to combine. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in white parts of scallions.

Place sesame seeds on a large plate. Spread shrimp mixture evenly over bread slices, extending all the way to edges. Press bread, shrimp side down, into sesame seeds to coat evenly.

Pour oil into skillet to a depth of 1/4 inch and heat over medium-high heat until oil is hot but not smoking. Place two slices of bread in pan and fry until golden, 2–3 minutes on each side. Put toasts on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining slices. Cut into triangles and garnish with scallion greens. Serve warm or at room temperature.