Makes 1 dozen canapés
Ingredients
12 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 avocado
1 lemon
4 cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh dill
Splash of red wine vinegar
Salt, pepper and cayenne, to taste
Dark pumpernickel or seeded rye bread
Preparation
Cut bread into rounds with a 1½-inch cookie cutter and set aside.
Devein and shell shrimp, removing the tails (or you can just buy them that way from your supermarket or fishmonger). Blanch them in boiling water for a minute or two, just until cooked through; they should curl up nicely. [Chef’s Note: Be careful not to overcook the shrimp, or it will become rubbery.] Remove the shrimp from the water and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water to cool. When cooled, blot them dry with paper towels.
Make a purée of avocado with a squeeze of lemon juice, a few grinds of black pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Chop a bit of the fresh dill and toss it with the shrimp along with a small splash of red wine vinegar and tiny dash of salt to season.
Service
Assemble your canapés by spreading a little of the avocado purée over each round of bread. Top with a dilled shrimp. Thinly slice the cherry tomatoes and top the shrimp with a tomato slice and a small sprig of dill.
Recipe and photo by Mark Tafoya
