Seafood in Puff Pastry

Last week I posted on a Napoleon I made. I sheet of the puff pastry made 6 pastries, I only used 3. With just my wife and I at home I had to come up with another recipe for the other pastries. The following recipe is what I came up with. A word of caution, make sure to drain the seafood as puff pastry does not like liquid. I speak from experience.

Seafood in Puff Pastry
1 sheet puff pastry (this will make 6 servings)
2 scallops per person
6 shrimp per person
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes per person, cut in 1/2 if large
2 tsp celery, finely chopped per person
1 tsp onion, finely chopped per person
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup white wine, increase if making more than 2
Parsley for garnish.

Cut puff pastry into 6 pieces. The pastry is folded into thirds so after it thaws unfold it and cut on the fold lines and then cut each section in 1/2. Follow baking instructions on the puff pastry box for cooking. When pastry is done cut in 1/2 horizontally.

Preheat grill.

Take a 3 foot long piece of aluminum foil. Fold it in 1/2, so you have an 18 inch long piece with 2 layers. Fold one side over 1/2 inch and then fold a second time also 1/2 inch. Turn foil around and fold the other side 1/2 inch twice. Fold the bottom up 1/2 inch, this will strengthen the foil. You should now have a pouch with an open top and the other 3 sides folded over.

Place all of the ingredients except the parsley and pastry in the pouch. Fold the top down twice, each time folding about 1/2 inch. Place on grill and cook for about 10 minutes. Flip packet over and cook for 5 minutes. Be CAREFUL when flipping so the packet does not open and ingredients don't spill out or that you don't get burned. When the packet is ready remove from grill and dump contents into a bowl. Place the bottom 1/2 of the puff pastry on the plate. With a slotted spoon remove some of contents of bowl and drain. Then place the ingredients on the puff pastry. You can put the top on the pastry and place another scoop of seafood mixture on top or put another scoop on the puff pastry and set the top on side of plate as I did in picture. Sprinkle parsley over plate after all of the seafood mixture has been placed on plate. Serve immediately.

A Dynamite Napoleon

Obviously, I love to cook or you wouldn't be reading this now. However, there is one part of cooking that I don't like...baking. I would just as soon eat fruit then to have a piece of cake. Unfortunately my wife is the opposite, she lives for desserts especially chocolate. This means that for my wife's birthday and Mother's Day I usually become the designated dessert maker. This year I made an old classic. I use real whipped cream, you can use the fake stuff if that is your thing.

Mixed Fruit Napoleon
1 sheet puff pastry
1/2 pint of whip cream, reserve 1 tsp of whip cream
mixed berries, I used fresh strawberries and some raspberries.
2 oz chocolate

Cut the puff pastry into 6 pieces. Puff pastry is conveniently folded into thirds so just cut on the folds and then cut it in half. You will only use 3 of the 6 pieces for 2 people. Save the extras for other treats. Bake the puff pastry according to package directions.

While the pastry is baking whip the cream.

To assemble. Cut 3 of the puff pastry pieces in 1/2 horizontally. Put a flat piece on the bottom, then layer whip cream, berries another piece of pastry, whip cream then berries. Top with third piece of pastry. On the top of the pastry put a scoop of whip cream. Melt chocolate with the reserved teaspoon of whip cream. Drizzle over the Napoleon.