Retro Shrimp Pâté
There it is—on page 99 of her spiral-bound recipe book, written in her loopy cursive and dated May 8, 1977: Shrimp mold.
Shrimp suspended in Jello-ed tomato soup… What was that all-American, extremely ‘70s dish doing there, among my late grandmother’s cherished Cantonese staples?
This throwback recipe was my chance to revisit the past, but I knew I had to give it a 2022 spin. Could an updated, more homemade version of the dish provide the same comfort and ease as it did for Grandma?
First thing was first: Out went the tomato soup in favor of roasted cherry tomatoes. The shrimp? To avoid bland, bouncy bits, I puréed them into a rustic pâté. If you’re still dubious, stay with me—the end result was tender, creamy, and savory. Perfect, I thought, for spreading on slices of crunchy baguette.
I invited a few close friends over—Shrimp Mold Night FTW—and set the dish out for nibbling. To my delight, they gobbled it up! And it wasn’t the martinis talking! Sure, I took the jiggly gelatin and tinned soup out of the original mix, but traditions evolve. Certainly, Grandma would approve.
Welcome to Grandma’s Notebook, a series unearthing the hand-written recipes of Mary Woo, the late grandmother of fashion designer Peter Som. Follow along as we dive into 20 years of recipes that trace her Chinese American immigrant experience. Along the way, we’ll discover hidden family secrets, new and enticing flavors, and priceless hand-me-down dishes that deserve a second life in your kitchen.
It all started with a small, spiral-bound notebook—crinkled, smudged, and dog-eared, its ruled pages fading to ecru at the edges. On those mothball-scented pages? Twenty years of recipes, each one dated, starting in 1960 and ending in 1980. Soy sauce duck, tofu fa, enchiladas, oxtail stew. A life’s worth of recipes, meticulously hand written in Chinese or English—or a little of both.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
1 lb peeled and cooked medium shrimp
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1½ tsp tomato paste
2 tsp olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped (¼ cup)
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1½ tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup parsley, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions, plus more for garnish
½ tsp dry mustard powder
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Sliced baguette or crackers, for serving
METHOD
To a medium skillet set over medium heat, add the olive oil and tomatoes, then cover and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until bursted and beginning to brown, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl, wipe out the skillet, and return it to the stove.
In the empty pan set over medium heat, melt the butter and cook the shallots, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until incorporated, about 1 minute more. Transfer to the bowl with the tomatoes and set aside.
In a food processor, pulse the shrimp to gravel-sized bits, then transfer to a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, mayonnaise, parsley, scallions, mustard powder, salt, black pepper, and reserved tomatoes and shallots. Using a spatula, mix gently to combine.
Distribute evenly among 2 1-pint Mason jars, or scrape into a large ramekin, flattening the top. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, pressing on the spread to remove any air bubbles, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until set. The pate can be made up to 2 days in advance. Garnish with additional parsley and scallions and serve cold with sliced baguette.