Ingredients

Makes 32 hors d'oeuvres

　　4 teaspoons minced garlic

　　1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

　　1 tablespoon vegetable oil

　　1 tablespoon mirin*

　　2 teaspoons soy sauce

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　3/4 pound medium shrimp in shell (31 to 35 per pound), peeled, deveined, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

　　3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

　　1 (9- by 4-inch) white Pullman loaf, unsliced

　　

Step 1

Cook garlic and ginger in oil in an 8- to 9-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add mirin, soy sauce, and salt (omit salt if making ahead; see cooks' note, below) and simmer, stirring, 15 seconds. Transfer marinade to a bowl and cool to room temperature.

　　

Step 2

Add shrimp and cilantro, tossing to coat, and marinate, covered and chilled, 1 hour.

　　

Step 3

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 4

Turn bread loaf on its side and evenly cut crust from bottom of loaf using a long serrated knife, discarding crust, then cut a 3/8-inch-thick slice from bottom and trim crust from sides of slice. Put slice on a baking sheet (reserve rest of loaf for another use) and bake, turning over once, until dry but not colored, 8 minutes total. Remove bread from oven but leave on baking sheet.

　　

Step 5

Immediately increase oven temperature to 475°F.

　　

Step 6

Spread top of hot toast with all of shrimp mixture, packing it down into a thick even layer and covering surface entirely. Make sure oven temperature has reached 475°F, then bake shrimp toast until topping is cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer with a large flat spatula to a rack to cool 5 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board.

　　

Step 7

Halve shrimp toast crosswise with a very sharp knife, then cut each half lengthwise into fourths, making 8 strips total. Cut each strip into 4 pieces. Serve toasts warm or at room temperature.

　　

Step 8

*Available at Asian markets and some supermarkets.

　　Cooks' note:

　　Shrimp can be marinated (without salt in marinade) up to 4 hours. Stir in salt before proceeding.