Shrimp, Cucumber & Curry Cream Cheese Canapes Recipe

When I was growing up, my mum and I would occasionally fix ourselves a real afternoon tea, complete with fine china, sandwiches and a full pot of Orange Pekoe tea. We set to work cutting the crusts off of multiple slices of soft, white bread. Some were filled with egg salad and others were rolled around gherkin pickles with pimento cream cheese. Ham, Mango Chutney and Pecan Tea Sandwiches would be a welcome addition, too. We would sip our tea, chat about the day's happenings, and pop those little sandwiches into our mouths, one after the other. To me, the act of making food together and enjoying it with someone you care about is what makes a good meal memorable.

We discovered that those little sandwiches needn't be relegated to these elaborate tea times, which were few and far between. When set out as an hors d'oeuvres at a dinner party, the plate was often empty within minutes. I am not sure if it harkens back to the time of our ancestors or we just think it is fun, but people seem to love eating with their hands. Little tastes of multiple flavors in one meal satisfies cravings far more efficiently than a large meal of similar flavors. At least that is how it works in my world.

In this recipe, cream cheese is mixed with butter and curry powder to make a compound butter, which is spread on lightly toasted pieces of bread. Each slice is layered with thin slices of cucumber, fresh cilantro and cooked shrimp before the crusts are cut off and they are cut into pretty, bite-sized pieces. This makes an beautiful, savory appetizer with little effort and, if you are like me, you will find yourself popping these into your mouth, one after the other.

The recipe:

In a medium bowl, mash together butter, cream cheese, curry powder and kosher salt with the back of a fork until combined.

Heat canola oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Season shrimp with salt. Add shrimp and sear until shrimp is just cooked through, about 30 seconds on each side. Remove shrimp from pan and cut each one in half horizontally.

Lay bread slices on a baking sheet in a 350 degrees oven and cook until bread is very lightly toasted. Transfer bread slices to a rack and cool.

Spread 1 tablespoon curry cream cheese on each slice of bread. Cut cucumber into slices that are the length of one side of bread and 1/4/-inch thick. Place 2 slices cucumber, side-by-side, on each piece of bread. Top with 4 springs of cilantro (set up in a square) and then place 1 shrimp piece on each sprig of cilantro. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Cut crusts off bread and then cut each slice in four squares. Serve.

Shrimp, Cucumber & Curry Cream Cheese Canapes
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Hors D'Oeuvres Handbook

Curry Cream Cheese:
4 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Canapes:
2 tablespoon canola oil
20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ teaspoon kosher salt
10 slices white sandwich bread
1 large English cucumber
40 small sprigs fresh cilantro

Curry Cream Cheese:
In a medium bowl, mash together butter, cream cheese, curry powder and kosher salt with the back of a fork until combined.

Canapes:
Heat canola oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Season shrimp with salt. Add shrimp and sear until shrimp is just cooked through, about 30 seconds on each side. Remove shrimp from pan and cut each one in half horizontally.

Lay bread slices on a baking sheet in a 350 degrees oven and cook until bread is very lightly toasted. Transfer bread slices to a rack and cool.

Spread 1 tablespoon curry cream cheese on each slice of bread. Cut cucumber into slices that are the length of one side of bread and 1/4/-inch thick. Place 2 slices cucumber, side-by-side, on each piece of bread. Top with 4 springs of cilantro (set up in a square) and then place 1 shrimp piece on each sprig of cilantro. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Cut crusts off bread and then cut each slice in four squares. Serve.

Makes 40 canapes.

Printable recipe