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Shrimp en croute
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 18 minutes
Serves 4
Fran Rider of Carmichael was looking for filling recipes for frozen puff pastry patty shells. The Mailbox featured a chicken and spinach in puff pastry shells for Rider last month.
Today’s recipe comes from Lori Cucinotta of Rancho Cordova who says this dish is excellent, easy to make, elegant and delicious. She suggest serving it with a light white wine.
4 frozen puff pastry patty shells, thawed
8 ounces small cooked shrimp (about 2 ½ cups)
1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup vacuum-packed wheat germ, regular
3 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/2 teaspoon basil leaves, crushed
1/8 teaspoon thyme leaves, crushed
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 slices Monterey Jack cheese (2 ½-inch squares)
Wine sauce:
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon salt
Reserved shrimp
Garnish: Parsley
Roll out patty shells on lightly-floured surface to 7-inch squares.
Reserve 1/4 of the shrimp for wine sauce. Set aside.
Coarsely chop remaining shrimp. Combine with butter, wheat germ, onion, basil, thyme and pepper. Spoon about 3/4 cup filling onto each pastry square. Top with cheese slice. Fold two opposite sides of pastry over filling overlapping slightly. Fold remaining edges to center to make a 3 1/4-inch square. Place seam-side down on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees 15 to 18 minutes until pastry is golden. Serve with hot wine sauce. Garnish with parsley.
Wine sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour, stirring until smooth. Stir in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and boils gently. Add wine, cheese and salt. Heat until cheese melts. Stir in reserved shrimp.
This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 4:00 PM with the headline "The Mailbox."