Shrimp Purse Recipes

BEGGARS PURSES FILLED WITH SHRIMP AND SCENTED WITH LEMON AND THYME

Steps:

• Start by making the aromatic shrimp filling: Combine the first 5 ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Season the mix with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan, bring 1-inch of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Place the chives in the water and blanch for 1 minute. Remove the chives and squeeze them dry in a paper towel. The chives will be all bunched up in a ball at this point, so carefully separate them and set them aside.
• To assemble your purses: take a crepe and cut it in half. Place a heaping tablespoon of the shrimp filling in the middle of each half of crepe and draw up the sides of the crepe as to make a pouch of filling resembling a purse. Carefully twist the crepe around at the top and lay it on its side, holding the crepe closed at the top. Slip a chive under the crepe and tie it around the twisted top in a knot to secure the purse. Trim away any extra crepe and length of chive. After practicing this technique a few times you will get the hang of it and they will come together nicely. These may be made ahead of time and frozen for up to 1 month.
• To make the crepe batter, combine the flour, milk, water, eggs, 2 tablespoons of butter, and salt in a blender. Blend on high until the batter is smooth. Cover and let the batter sit for 30 minutes. This is essential in creating strong crepes which will hold up to the stress of tying them into your beggars purses. Place a 7 1/2-inch nonstick crepe pan over medium heat. Brush a little of the remaining melted butter into the pan with a pastry brush. Ladle 2 tablespoons of crepe batter into the pan and swirl to coat the entire pan evenly. Cook the crepe until it is set and the bottom is golden brown. Using a heat-proof rubber spatula, flip the crepe over and cook on the second side until it is lightly browned as well. Continue making crepes with remaining batter. Set aside covered with a dish towel until you are ready to assemble your beggars purses.

SHRIMP PHYLLO PURSES WITH TOMATO CHERMOULA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add green onions, garlic, cumin, and paprika and sauté until onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add shrimp and sauté until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in minced bean threads, cilantro, parsley, and lemon juice. Season filling with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Lightly butter large baking sheet. Stack phyllo sheets on work surface. Cut sheets in half crosswise to form eighteen 13x81/2-inch rectangles. Stack all rectangles. Using 8-inch-diameter plate as guide, trace circle atop phyllo stack. Cut all phyllo sheets, forming eighteen 8-inch-diameter rounds. Cover rounds with damp paper towel to prevent drying. Place 1 phyllo round on work surface; brush with melted butter. Top with second phyllo round; brush with melted butter. Top with third phyllo round; brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon breadcrumbs. Place 1/16 of filling in center of phyllo. Enclose filling by gathering phyllo and carefully twisting top to form purse. Transfer phyllo purse to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining phyllo rounds, melted butter, breadcrumbs, and filling, forming 6 phyllo purses total. Brush phyllo purses with butter. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake phyllo purses until golden and heated through, about 12 minutes. Carefully tie 1 chive around twisted section of each phyllo purse, forming knot. Transfer 1 phyllo purse to each of 6 plates. Spoon some Tomato Chermoula Sauce around each phyllo purse and serve.
• Bean thread noodles (clear dried noodles, also known as cellophane or transparent noodles) are sold at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets.

SHRIMP IN PURGATORY

Steps:

• Warm the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add the onion, season generously with salt, and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, soft and starting to turn golden, 7 or 8 minutes. If necessary, decrease the heat to medium to prevent scorching.
• Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the oregano, red-pepper flakes and fennel seeds, then the Calabrian chiles, roasted red peppers and tomatoes. (Crush the tomatoes by hand, if using whole.) Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook for about 5 minutes to slightly reduce the sauce and blend the flavors.
• Add the shrimp, scallions and capers, and cook until the shrimp are curled, pink and opaque, 3 to 7 minutes, depending on size and quantity. Turn off the heat and taste the sauce. Add more red-pepper flakes, salt and pepper, if you like. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and serve, passing more Parmesan and red-pepper flakes at the table.

SHRIMP IN PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Heat 2 tbs. butter and the oil in a skillet,and saute shrimp 2 to 3 minutes,depending on size, until bright pink.
• Remove to a bowl and set aside.
• Add onions to pan and cook over low heat til limp.
• Add remaining butter and saute mushrooms til soft.
• Add sherry and peppers.
• Cook gently for 2 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste, cream, chili powder,salt, and pepper.
• Add the shrimp and simmer gently 2-3 minutes.
• Spoon the mixture into the split pastry puff diamonds.
• Garnish each with a shrimp and a drift of parsley.

BEGGARS' PURSES

Steps:

• Make crêpe batter:
• Melt butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and set aside 2 tablespoons for cooking crêpes. Continue to cook butter remaining in skillet until it has a nutty fragrance and is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Blend brown butter with remaining crêpeingredients, except chives, in a blender until smooth. Add chives and pulse 1 or 2 times to just combine. Let batter stand 30 minutes.
• Blend brown butter with remaining crêpe ingredients, except chives, in a blender until smooth. Add chives and pulse 1 or 2 times to just combine. Let batter stand 30 minutes.
• Blanch whole chives:
• Blanch chives in a small saucepan of boiling water 10 seconds. Drain and plunge into an ice bath. Pat dry.
• Make crêpes:
• Lightly brush skillet with butter, then heat over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Stir batter. With skillet off heat, add a scant 1/4 cup batter, tilting and rotating skillet to coat bottom. (If batter sets too fast, reduce heat slightly.) Cook until golden around edges, 15 to 30 seconds. Loosen with a heatproof plastic spatula, then flip crêpe over with your fingertips. Cook until underside is set, about 30 seconds. Slide onto a plate. Make more crêpes, brushing skillet with butter and stacking crêpes on plate.
• Assemble purses:
• Top each crêpe, browned side up, with about 1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream and 2 teaspoon caviar. Gather crêpe around filling and tie 1 or 2 blanched chives in a knot to close purse. Trim ends of chives if necessary.