Sesame Shrimp and Crab Toast
This crispy sesame shrimp and crab toast can be served as a starter or as a good savoury snack to hand around with drinks. Traditionally the toast is deep-fried in oil, but in this healthy version it is baked in a hot oven until crisp and golden.
1 tablespoon reduced-fat cream
1 large egg
2 large slices multi-grain bread
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
pepper to taste
shredded green onions to garnish
Shrimp and Crab Topping
80 g peeled raw shrimp, very finely chopped
80 g fresh crab meat, flaked
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1⁄2 small red pepper, seeded and diced
1⁄2 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon reduced-fat cream
pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). For the topping, place the shrimp, flaked crab meat, green onions, garlic, red pepper, lemon rind, cayenne pepper and cream into a bowl and mix all the ingredients together well to make a spreadable paste. Season with pepper and set the mixture aside until ready to cook. (If you want to prepare the mixture ahead, it can be kept in the refrigerator for 4 hours.)
- Beat together the cream and egg until smooth. Dip the slices of multi-grain bread in the mixture to coat both sides well, then place the bread on a greased baking sheet. Spread the shrimp and crab topping evenly over the bread, spreading right up to the edges.
- Lightly brush the remaining egg and cream mixture over the surface of the shrimp and crab topping and sprinkle evenly with the sesame seeds.
- Bake the toast for 20–25 minutes or until crisp and golden-brown. Cut each slice of toast into 8 small triangles and serve immediately, while still hot, garnished with shredded green onions.
Sesame shrimp and crab toast variations: For five-spice shrimp and water chestnut toast, omit the crab meat and use 170 g shrimp instead of 80 g. Season the mixture with 1⁄4 teaspoon five-spice powder instead of the cayenne pepper and lemon rind. Instead of the red pepper, stir in 6 water chestnuts, very finely chopped, and 4 teaspoons chopped fresh coriander.
preparation time 15 mins
cooking time 25 mins
serves 4
PER SERVING
140 calories
12 g protein
5 g total fat
2 g saturated fat
119 mg cholesterol
11 g total carbohydrate
2 g sugars
2 g fibre
288 mg sodium
Crab meat is low in saturated fat and in calories and has many nutrition benefits for heart-conscious people. It gives you omega-3 fats and is rich in B vitamins and many minerals, particularly potassium, zinc, iodine and phosphorus. An entree-size portion of crab (100 g) has only 130 calories.
