Shrimp Toast

We have a summer home on a lake in the Adirondack Mountains.  As I kid I always dreaded going up there because it meant that I couldn't hang out with my friends.  (Unfortunately there weren't many tweens around that area).  A couple of times I brought some friends with me up to the lake, and we'd get into the typical adolescent mischief:  stealing wine coolers from my aunt, pretending to lose our paddle boat so the cute older boys could pick us up on a jet ski (who just "loses" a paddle boat in the middle of the lake?), and even jumping off the 65 foot trestle into the water-- everybody did that.  As I got older, I realized the value in going to our camp.  It was a place to unwind and relax.  There wasn't much to do but sit outside and soak up some rays, and catch up on summer reading-- and that's exactly the beauty of it.  Not to mention, you could drink a beer in the middle of the afternoon and not be judged.

There are certain things that I will always associate with the Lake:  R.L. Stine's Fear Street series, which were particularly scary then because we were in the woods; kayaking for what felt like hours to see beautiful waterfalls; walking on the railroad tracks to explore a strange, manmade lake with dyed blue water (it never fully developed); Sandy, the friendly mutt who visited every house on the lake daily; and of course certain foods that my mom never made anywhere else-- like shrimp toast.

I like shrimp.  I like bread.  I like salsa.  And I like cheese.  But for some reason,  I was always a bit wary about my mom's shrimp toast.  Maybe because the spicy shrimp bruschetta is a combination of seafood, Mexican and Italian dishes, and it just seemed wrong.  Regardless, one day I actually started liking them.  I still think the combo is a bit strange, but they taste really good so I don't care about that anymore.  They're also easy to make with only four ingredients.

Take a freshly baked baguette and cut it into slices about an inch thick.  Put them in the oven for a little while to soften, but not toast.  The key to this is to make sure the bread isn't too soggy before you add on the shrimp mixture, which is a bit watery. (Disclaimer:  I'm not entirely sure what temperature to use for baking anything, so I always put everything on 375 degrees and it seems to work out fine.)  Meanwhile, on the stove, throw a can of your favorite salsa and some chopped, raw shrimp in a skillet on low. My family uses Newman's Own Hot Salsa, but I like to use any organic, generic one from the grocery store.  The shrimp will turn pink when they're done and they juices will all mix together.  Divide the mixture evenly onto the baguettes and throw them back into the oven.  When they look like they're almost done (it won't take too long), add some shredded mozzarella on top and pop the tray of shrimp toast back into the oven for a minute or two, until the cheese melts.

We've tried this with mild and medium salsas, and found that the hotter, the better.   Again, it's kind of a weird appetizer, but somehow it works.  The more I think about it, it would probably be a good dish to serve at a Super Bowl party, and a welcome change from the typical chips and salsa.

Another favorite summertime treat up at the lake?  S'mores.  But you don't need my advice on those.  If you can't figure out how to roast a marshmallow and put it between two pieces of graham crackers and chocolate, I can't help you.  (Note: marshmallows contain gelatin, which is an animal byproduct.  There are a few different brands of marshmallows that are vegan friendly like Dandie's Classic Vanilla Air-Puffed Vegan marshmallows.  I've never tried them, but I've read a lot of reviews saying they taste like the real thing, and are good for s'mores and Rice Krispie treats.)