Spicy California Shrimp Stack

I was shockingly surprised at how well this recipe turned out. Of course I was browsing Pinterest one evening and came across a delicious looking photo of one of these stacks, saved it for later and figured it would end up being one of those recipes that I would never actually get around to making. But, I did and I'm so glad! 

We happened to have some left over shrimp from a low-country boil, which was nice because preparing the shrimp is half the battle. I decided the leftovers were a perfect excuse to make these spicy stacks. I was also looking to satisfy my sushi craving.

 This recipe was easier to make than I thought it would be. I was pretty impressed with the finished product. I made a few substitutions due to the ingredients I had on hand and they turned out great. I recommend two stacks per person, unless you are serving a side, in which case I think edamame would be perfect. These are a way to take your dinner party to the next level, which is exactly what we did the second time around. I went over to my girlfriends house for supper club one evening and we made these using fresh tuna. I highly recommend it! 

 I can't wait to make them again!

Spicy California Shrimp Stacks
Ingredients

1 1/3 cups of cooked quinoa brown rice (I Seeds of Change brand)

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

8 ounces cooked shrimp, peeled and tails removed

1 cup diced cucumber

1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives

½ cup mashed avocado (about 1 large-because I wanted extra)

4 teaspoons sesame seeds

4 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

4 teaspoons of mayonnaise

1 teaspoon sriracha sauce

 Instructions

1. Cook rice according to package directions. (90 seconds in the microwave)

2. Cut shrimp into 1-inch cubes. In a small bowl, combine cucumber and chives. In another small bowl, combine mayonnaise and sriracha sauce.

3. Using a 1 cup dry measuring cup, layer ¼ cup cucumber, then 2 tablespoon of avocado, next ¼ of the shrimp, and then 1/3 cup quinoa brown rice.  Carefully turn the cup upside down to turn the stack out onto a plate, lightly tapping the bottom of the cup if necessary.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Top with a dollop of sriracha mayonnaise. 

4. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

*Note: Don’t pack the ingredients in the cup too tightly, otherwise they will not come out as easily. Trust me, I made this mistake. 

*Recipe adapted from Skinnytaste.