Mushroom Vols-au-vent
Ingredients
Mushroom Pâté
1/2 oz Dried Shiitake mushrooms
1 Cup boiling water
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
6 oz Cremini mushrooms, sliced
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 Cup shallots, diced
1 Tbsp thyme, minced
2 Tsp garlic, minced
2 Tbsp dry sherry
1-2 Tbsp heavy cream
Vols-au-vent (Pastry Puff)
3 Sheets frozen puff pastry (1 1/2 packages) thawed
1 Egg + 1 Tbsp water
Preparation
Mushroom Pâté
Soak shittakes in boiling water for 30 minutes; drain and reserve the soaking liquid. Chop mushrooms and discard any stems.
Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add cremini mushrooms and cook until brown and the liquid nearly evaporates (about 10 minutes). Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl.
Melt remaining 1 Tbsp butter in the pan; add shallots, thyme and garlic and cook until shallots are golden brown-- about 5 minutes. Return crimini and shiitake mushrooms to the pan.
Deglaze pan with sherry, scraping up any brown bits. Cook until sherry evaporates. Transfer mushroom mixture to a food processor.
Add cream and 1 tbsp of the reserved soaking liquid to food processor. Pulse until smooth, but not completely pureed, adding more soaking liquid 1 tbsp at a time, until you reach a desired consistency.
Vous-au-vent
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Unfold pastry sheets and cut 12 squares using a 3 1/4-inch cutter.
Cut centers of 6 of the squares using a 2 1/4 inch cutter, leaving the centers in place.
Whisk together egg and water, then lightly brush solid squares with egg wash and place cut squares on top.
Brush top squares with egg wash and bake pastry until golden and puffed, about 20 minutes.
Once Vols-au-vent are cool, cut out the reserve center pastry using a paring knife and fork.
Assemble: Spoon mushroom mixture into prepared Vols-au-vent and serve warm.
