Where I grew up, sliding was not a good choice. My primary school had a baseball field where the grass was rock hard, the dirt harder, and the pathway from one base to another was embedded with very pointy stones. You slid into third base at the risk of your life, or maybe the lives of children yet unborn.

When the term “slider” was introduced a few years for those mini-burgers, my childhood prejudice surfaced. These slider thingies could not be good. I was so wrong. These sliders are nothing but big league.

Sliders come in many flavors: beef, lamb, veal, venison, … All flavors from the land. Here’s a great one from the sea. Shrimp sliders with wasabi mayo are absolutely scrumptious. Sliders are often served as appetizers. These babies are so addictive, you might as well make a lot of them up front and enjoy them as your main meal. Couple them with a salad and you’ll charm any guest.

For accompaniment, try a sparkling wine. Proseco is the ideal match for the sweetness of the shrimp and heat of the wasabi.

Rock Shrimp Sliders with Wasabi Mayo

Yield: 6-8 sliders

Ingredients for Rock Shrimp Burgers:

• 1 pound rock shrimp
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup parsley or cilantro, finely chopped
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for Wasabi Mayonnaise:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup prepared wasabi (less or more to taste)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Pinch of salt
• Mini buns or hamburger rolls or hot dog rolls cut to size

Garnish:

• Sliced cherry tomatoes, pickles, radish sprouts, and lettuce

Preparation of the Wasabi Mayonnaise:

Mix all the ingredients together. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preparation of the Rock Shrimp Burgers:

Place half of the shrimp in the bowl of a food processor and add the egg. Coarsely chop the remaining shrimp and put it into a bowl. Add the processed shrimp and the parsley, bread crumbs, and salt the pepper to taste.

Prepare the buns by cutting out smaller buns with a 1½-inch diameter ring mold or biscuit cutter; grill if desired. Take a heaping tablespoon of the slider mixture and form it into a small patty, about 1 to 2 inches. Continue with the remaining mixture until all the sliders are formed. Grill or fry them over medium heat until browned and cooked through.

Place a Shrimp Slider onto a mini-bun. Top with a slice of cherry tomato and some Wasabi Mayo. Cover with the bun top and secure them with a toothpick.

Source: Ham on the Street, Food Network, George Duran