Ingredients
- 150g scallops (about 6 scallops)
- 1 thawed puff pastry sheet
- 1/4 cup snap peas or frozen peas (cut into small pieces if snap peas)
- 1 large shallot (finely minced)
- 1 clove garlic (finely minced)
- 1 150g packet shimeji mushrooms (cleaned and broken into bits)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- 2 tbsp white wine
- 1 tsp champagne vinegar
- 2 tbsp cream cheese
- Salt and white pepper
Steps
To make the shells:
- Take a puff pastry sheet, use a 3.5-inch diameter cutter or tart pan to cut out 4 circles.
- In 2 of the rings, use a smaller 2-inch diameter ring cutter or can lid to make indents in the middle, but do not cut through all the way.
- Overlay each stenciled circle over the clean one. Brush the top with 1 beaten egg.
- Bake in the oven, middle rack at 180C for 20-22 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and shells are puffed up. While baking, cook scallops and make sauce.
- Once out, the inner circle of the top layer should have a “dotted line” effect and be easy to cut out using a paring knife.
To cook the scallops:
- Add the stock and wine to a saucepan on lowest heat.
- Poach scallops in the wine and stock, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Fish out scallops and cut into halves if they are large. Save for assembly. Reserve the cooking liquid.
To make the sauce:
- Over low heat in a fresh saucepan, melt 1 tbsp butter.
- Add shallots and garlic, allow them to sweat and soften.
- Add mushrooms and allow that to soften as well.
- Add reserved cooking liquid and peas.
- In a bowl knead together 1 tbsp softened, room temp butter and the flour. Form a ball of dough – this is your beurre manie and adds as a thickening agent.
- Once peas are cooked, add vinegar.
- Add your beurre manie to the sauce, whisk. Cook for another 1 min or so, do not let boil.
- Turn the heat off, add the cream cheese and whisk it in too, to further thicken. Now season with salt and white pepper to taste. Optionally, add 1 tbsp minced fresh herbs (dill is good).
To assemble:
- Open up the pastry shells, spoon in the scallops then followed by the sauce alongside the vegetable mix-ins until full.
- Serve and enjoy your scallop mini pies!
