Shrimp Purses Recipes

GOLDEN PURSES THAI APPETIZER

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Place cooked shrimp in a food processor or chopper. Add all the spice paste ingredients, then process well.
• Taste-test this mixture, adding 1/2 tablespoon more fish sauce if not salty enough.
• To create the purses, you will need a brush (like a pastry brush) and a small bowl of water. Place 4 to 6 wonton wrappers out over a clean surface (a countertop or chopping board work well). Dip the brush in water and wet 1 inch around the periphery of each wrapper.
• Place a small amount (1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon) of filling in the middle of each wrapper. Now lift up the sides of the wrappers and pinch them together over the filling. Tip : It helps if you wet your fingers as you pinch in order to secure the purse.
• Place the finished purses on a clean plate. Continue making the purses in this way until all the filling has been used up.
• Pour oil into a wok or small frying pan, so that oil is at least 1-inch deep. Heat over medium-high heat. When oil forms moving lines across the bottom of the pan, try dipping in the corner of a wonton wrapper. If the oil starts to sizzle around the wrapper, it's ready for frying. If nothing happens, wait another minute and try again.
• When the oil is hot enough, use tongs to lay 4 or 5 purses on their sides in the pan. Allow to fry 30 seconds, or until they turn golden-brown, then turn over. Fry until the purses are uniformly golden-brown, then drain on a clean tea towel or paper towel. Keep purses warm in the oven until ready to serve.
• Before serving, tie each purse with a chive. You have to do this carefully, or the chive with snap. We find it helps to tie the chive first, then slip it over the top of the purse.
• Serve the purses with Thai sweet chili sauce for dipping.

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.

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 PURSES

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together, except crepes and paprika.
• Fold crepes in half and place spoonful of shrimp mixture in middle. Bring up all edges to form a ''purse'' and secure with a toothpick.
• Optional: tie a chive around purse.
• Sprinkle with paprika to taste and serve immediately.