Spicy Shrimp (or Lobster) Remoulade on Molasses-Butter Toast

Have I mentioned our Gourmet Group?  Just once or twice, I'm sure :)  There are 10 of us - five couples.  We rotate hosting and creating the menu for our 'turn'.  One recipe is assigned to each non-hosting couple to prepare. This past weekend, one of the other couples hosted and my husband and I were assigned this appetizer recipe.

This recipe was supposed to be Spicy Shrimp Remoulade.  However, our host is an avid fisherman in the Florida Keys and recently brought back these small lobster tails from his friend, a lobster fisherman, with whom he fishes. They offered them to us to use for the recipe.  Thus, the recipe became Spicy lobster Remoulade!

Finding the Wesphalian-style pumpernickel bread was the biggest challenge.  I found it at a store called Woodmans which is only in Wisconsin and Illinois but I would guess that Whole Foods or other well-stocked grocery stores would sell it also.  The brand I found (Rubschlager) came very thinly sliced in a perfectly square package.  The dense bread was delicious toasted with the molasses-butter-chili powder mixture and a perfect pairing to the spicy lobster remoulade.

Everyone at the dinner party that evening loved them!  Well worth the effort if you looking for a special appetizer.  The wonderful thing about the recipe is that absolutely everything can either be prepared the day before or in the morning of serving them. My husband and I did a 'test run' of our recipe the week before using shrimp and I would say the shrimp have a little more flavor but the lobster was a very close runner-up.

Spicy Shrimp (or Lobster) Remoulade on Molasses-Butter Toast

Adapted from Epicurious

Printable Recipe

Serves 4 (the original recipes says it serves 8 but if you truly want 8 generous servings double everything - especially if serving men)

Ingredients:

For the molasses butter:

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons light molasses
1/4 teaspoon chili powder

For the remoulade sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons finely chopped celery
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
2 1/2 teaspoons drained prepared white horseradish
2 teaspoons minced shallot
2 teaspoons ketchup
2 teaspoons whole grain Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

12-16 1 1/2-inch rounds or squares cut from Westphalian-style pumpernickel bread slices. (I cut off the crusts and cut each square into fourths)

8 ounces cooked peeled medium shrimp, or small lobsters, coarsely chopped  - I use this recipe to boil the shrimp/lobster
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives for garnish

To PrepareThe molasses butter:

Using fork, mix all ingredients in small bowl to blend.  The molasses butter can be prepared a day ahead and allowed to soften for spreading.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Spread molasses butter lightly over bread; arrange in single layer on baking sheet. Bake until bread begins to firm up, about 10 minutes. Cool. (I found the toasts took longer that the stated time to become crispy.  If undercooked, they will be tough and hard to chew. I baked mine for 12-13 minutes. I prepared the toasts in the morning and kept them in a covered container after cooling.)

The remoulade sauce:

Mix first 12 ingredients in medium bowl. The remoulade can also be made a day ahead and this also allows the flavors to blend. 

When ready to serve, mix the shrimp into remoulade sauce. (I preferred to add the remoulade to the shrimp/lobster to make sure it was not overly coated with dressing.) Top toasts with shrimp mixture. Arrange on a serving dish, sprinkle with chives and serve.