Kitchen Talk: Wally Joe
Chef Wally Joe makes this shrimp toast at his restaurant Acre in East Memphis. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
Some of my favorite dishes at ACRE are too intense for the home cook to make. The Spanish octopus calls for not only perfectly cooked octopus, but bits of tender braised short rib, the Korean sauce gochujang, gigante beans — a lot goes in one bowl. And the chicken liver pate? Well, you better have time and patience, a sous vide machine and truffles.
So we asked for something else from chef/owner Wally Joe. We wanted something cooked in his style, but simple enough to make at home. He picked shrimp toast, and we pan fried it instead of deep frying, which makes for a healthier version as well as an easier one.
Joe is the chef co-chair for Memphis Food & Wine Festival. The event with more than 40 local and visiting chefs and 100 wines is Oct. 12 at Memphis Botanic Garden; go to memphisfoodwinefestival.org to get tickets.
Shrimp ToastIngredients Directions Roughly chop shrimp into a chunky paste or alternatively, pulse in a food processor (don’t overprocess). Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add half the beaten egg and all remaining ingredients except bread and vegetable oil; mix well. Spread the shrimp mixture on the sliced bread. Add enough vegetable oil to coat a saute pan. Over medium heat, pan-fry the toast, shrimp side down, until golden brown and cooked through. Flip over and cook bread side until toasted. Trim crust and cut into triangles. Garnish with slices of avocado, a dot of Sriracha and cilantro leaves. Arrange on serving tray or plate and serve. Makes up to 24 pieces. |
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Acre Restaurant Kitchen Talk Memphis Food & Wine Festival Wally JoeJennifer Biggs
Jennifer Biggs is a native Memphian and veteran food writer and journalist who covers all things food, dining and spirits related for The Daily Memphian.
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