HappyCook80's Recipe

Shrimp Pastry Squares With Garlic Butter

Category: Recipes

Shrimp Pastry Squares With Garlic Butter

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon anise seeds, crushed
1/4 cup minced chervil or parsley or use 1 1/2 tablespoons minced chives
8 ounce frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed according to package
flour for the work surface
1 egg, lightly beaten
12 large shrimp, peeled, deveined and butterflied
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
fresh chervil or parsley sprigs for optional garnish

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter with the garlic and anise seeds. Stir in the chervil, parsley or chives and remove
from the heat. Set aside at room temperature until cool but still liquid.

Cut the pastry lengthwise into quarters. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 strip of dough into a 4 by 20 inch rectangle. If the
dough retracts, let it rest several minutes and try again. Lightly brush the surface of the dough with some of the egg and then with
some of the garlic butter. Arrange 6 butterflied shrimp, opened flat, along the center of the pastry, spacing them about 2 inches apart and leaving about 1 1/2 inches of dough on each end. Brush the shrimp generously with about half of the garlic butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Roll a second strip of puff pastry into a 4 by 20 inch rectangle. Carefully roll it partially onto a rolling pin and then unroll it over the shrimp-topped pastry. Seal the 2 layers of dough, pressing firmly around each shrimp. Using a sharp knife, divide the pastry strip into 6 shrimp filled squares. Transfer the squares to the prepared baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap and
refrigerate.

Repeat this procedure with the remaining ingredients. Cover the squares and refrigerate until ready to bake, at least 15 minutes but no longer than 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Discard the plastic wrap. Lightly brush the top of the shrimp squares twice with the egg, being careful not to let the excess egg drip down the sides, if desired, use a sharp knife to mark shallow decorative lines across the top of each square.

Bake the squares until puffed and brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a platter and garnish with chervil sprigs. Serve immediately.
Yields 4 to 6 servings.

Note: To butterfly, hold the shrimp with the rounded back side facing
you. Using a small sharp knife, cut along the length of the shrimp,
cutting almost but not completely through the shrimp. Gently press
the halves of the shrimp outward to flatten it and it will resemble a
butterfly.