Screamin' Oysters, Shrimp, or Chicken

• four l/4-inch-thick diagonal slices soft-crust French bread (each slice about 6 inches long)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 tablespoon sambal oelek
• 6 ounces shucked oysters, cut into 1/4-inch pieces; or tiger shrimp, shelled, deveined, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces; or boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup sake (for oysters or shrimp) or 1/2 cup (for chicken)
• 2 tablespoons bottled oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup packed fresh coriander sprigs, washed, spun dry, and chopped

Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush bread on both sides with 2 tablespoons oil and toast on a baking sheet, turning once, until golden and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Reserve croutons.

In a heavy skillet cook garlic in remaining tablespoon oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until soft but not brown. Add sambal oelek and oysters or shrimp, or chicken and saute over moderately high heat, stirring, until cooked through, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add sake to deglaze and boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in oyster sauce, butter, and half of coriander, stirring constantly until butter is just melted. Spoon hot mixture onto croutons and sprinkle remaining coriander over it.