Ingredients
- 12 slices of 12 grain bread
- 1 lb medium sized shrimp, deshelled and deveined, cut into small 1/4 inch pieces but save 12 shrimp to butterfly (we prefer to leave tail on for the butterflied shrimp)
- 1/2 lb pork belly, also cut into small 1/4 inch slices
- soften butter or olive oil to spread on bread
- 2 tbs fish sauce
- 1 tbs sugar
- 2 ts ground pepper
- 1/2 ts thick soy sauce
- 1/2 ts Sriracha sauce
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- 1 bell pepper, finely diced>
- 1 bunch of fresh basil, chiffonade thinly
- muffin pan
- cooking oil
Preparation
Step 1
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Using a mold cutter or a small bowl, cut out some circular pieces of bread (save the unused parts for croutons, crumbs, or bread pudding) and using rolling pin or your hands, flatten the bread. Spread some butter or olive oil on both sides of bread, including the edges, and fit into the muffin tin that is also very lightly greased with butter or oil. Place in middle rack for about 10-12 minutes or until nicely brown and toasty.
Combine the cut shrimp and whole shrimp with 1 tbs of fish sauce, 1/2 tbs sugar, 1 ts pepper, 1/2 ts Sriracha, 1/2 garlic and shallots and mix and set aside. In separate bowl, combine the cut pork belly with 1 tbs fish sauce, 1/2 ts thick soy sauce, 1/2 tbs sugar, 1 ts pepper and remainder of garlic and shallots and mix well.
Heat a pan to medium high and sautee the pork belly. No cooking oil needed as the fat from the pork belly will render and brown. After about 3-4 min add only the cut shrimp and cook till opaque. Finally add the diced bell peppers, toss, and turn off heat and transfer to bowl. Using the same pan, add a touch of cooking oil and sear the butterflied shrimps.
By this time, the bread cups should be nice and toasty. These should slide out easily–if not, give it a gentle twist and it’ll slide out and transfer to serving plate. Add the shrimp and pork mixture to each bread cup. Top with a butterflied shrimp and garnish with fresh basil. Use additional Sriricha sauce for an extra kick.