I have created a habit, especially after a long working day, of googling the combination of ingredients I find in my kitchen cupboards, fridge and freezer and see if the result looks appealing, is fast to make, and most of all, if I can get away with not having to rush to the shops to join the late check-out queues... And maybe even more important, if what I find will make that last minute effort not too obvious at the dinner table, where all food is supposed to be 'made with love', even if it was a total craze for me to get it on the table, and I look like I just came out of a storm, albeit with a wide and proud smile on my face... And how appealing these did look! Well, anything wrapped in, or layered between
sheets of Filo pastry (in this case left over from the FETA CHEESE AND HERB STRUDELS) is a winner with me. I found this recipe on the Thermomix Recipe Community Website... Now, I am not a proud owner of a 'Bimby', and it's not really necessary for this recipe, all that's needed is a bit of chopping, folding and baking. They were really quick to make (I even managed to fit in pictures, although not sure the finished result really did them justice. At the end we had to eat, so no time to keep arranging food to look pretty on plates...). OK, 'nil points' for presentation, but luckily the novelty factor was on my side and they were after all GORGEOUS! The prawns stayed super soft and juicy, and so nice in contrast with the crunchy pastry wrapped around them. We will definitely include them in our end-of-a-long-work-day 'Fast Food' list, or make them as Appetizer or Dinner Party Fingerfood. I dunked mine in Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce - ok I admit there's not much that I wouldn't dunk into Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce :-) - but I guess they go well with any sauce that goes with prawns - and we had green salad on the side. Anyway, there has to be a lot more food that can be wrapped in filo, I think I am only just getting started...
Makes: 10 triangles
(I adjusted the quantities to my ingredients at hand)
500g headless frozen raw tiger prawns with shell
1 small bunch of curly parsley, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, or more if you prefer it more garlicky
1 Tbsp cream
5 sheets filo pastry (sheet size app. 30x40cm)
App. 120g melted butter
Salt and pepper
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C fan.
Remove the prawns from the freezer and defrost: put them in a bowl with cold water, they usually defrost within a few minutes. Even if in a hurry, do not use warm or hot water, as the prawns might start to cook (an indication is that they will turn orange-pink!) and get tough. Refresh the water every so often, or leave it running in a very thin stream into the bowl so that the water is refreshed and does not get too cold from the frozen prawns, thus slowing down the defrosting process.
In the meantime, peel the garlic and put through a garlic press, or cut very finely with a knife, or crush into a paste with the use of a couple of kernels of sea salt. Finely chop the parsley (or, like me, remove parsley from freezer and defrost: I tend to buy big portions and cut and freeze them for later 'emergency' use). Put the parsley and garlic into a large enough bowl, add 1 Tbsp cream and stir. Once the prawns are defrosted, peel them, then make a very small incision all along the round back with a small sharp knife and remove the dark gut line.
Cut into small pieces then add to the parsley and garlic and stir well. Season with salt and pepper.
Melt the butter slowly in the microwave. Take 5 sheets of filo pastry and cut them in half cross-wise (now app. 20x30cm in size). Start with the first sheet, keeping the other sheets under a damp cloth in the meantime to prevent them from drying out. Brush the top of the sheet with butter, then fold it lengthwise. Brush again with butter.
Place app. 1 Tbsp of prawn filling on one end of the folded pastry. Fold the corner upwards towards the other side on top of the filling.
Repeat the upwards folding, following the triangle lines until the pastry is completely folded into a triangular parcel, with just one triangle left over to fold.
Brush this last empty pastry triangle once more with butter so that it attaches well. Place with this last folded side facing down on a lined baking tray.
Repeat with the other nine sheets. Once finished, brush all triangles with the remaining butter, then place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are not burnt ;-)
Don't let the presentation put you off, I should have cut them in half to show them from inside, I know... (did I mention I was in a hurry?)
Tip: apparently the triangles can be made ahead and frozen, adding 5 minutes cooking time when baking from frozen... I have not tried it, and of course this is not an option if, like in my case, the prawns were frozen before use...
Prawns cut open on the top a little more and fried in the pan for decoration. Looking more like 'Swans' than prawns now... :-)
______________________________________________________
PRAWNS (WITH 'SWANS') IN FILO PASTRY
Makes: 10 triangles
500g headless frozen raw tiger prawns with shell
1 small bunch of curly parsley, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, or more if you prefer it more garlicky
1 Tbsp cream
5 sheets filo pastry (sheet size app. 30x40cm)
App. 120g melted butter
Salt and pepper
1) Pre-heat the oven to 200°C fan.
2) Defrost the prawns: Remove the prawns from the freezer and defrost: put them in a bowl with cold water, they usually defrost within a few minutes. Even if in a hurry, do not use warm or hot water, as the prawns might start to cook (an indication is that they will turn orange-pink!) and get tough. Refresh the water every so often, or leave it running in a very thin stream into the bowl so that the water is refreshed and does not get too cold from the frozen prawns, thus slowing down the defrosting process.
3) Prepare the remaining ingredients: In the meantime, peel the garlic and put through a garlic press, or crush into a paste with a knife with the aid of a couple of kernels of sea salt. Finely chop the parsley.
4) Mix parsley, garlic and cream: put the parsley and garlic into a large enough bowl, add 1 Tbsp cream and stir.
5) Clean the prawns: Once the prawns are defrosted, peel them, then make a very small incision all along the round back with a small sharp knife and remove the dark gut line.
6) Cut prawns, add to bowl and season: Cut the prawns into small pieces then add them to the parsley and garlic and stir well. Season with salt and pepper.
7) Melt the butter: Melt the butter slowly in the microwave.
8) Make the pastry parcels:
Fold the pastry sheet and brush with butter:
Take 5 sheets of filo pastry and cut them in half cross-wise (now app. 20x30cm in size). Start with the first sheet, keeping the other sheets under a damp cloth in the meantime to prevent them from drying out. Brush the top of the sheet with butter, then fold it lengthwise. Brush again with butter.
Fill the pastry: Place app. 1 Tbsp of prawn filling on one end of the folded pastry.
Fold the pastry: Fold the corner upwards towards the other side on top of the filling. Repeat the upwards folding, following the triangle lines until the pastry is completely folded into a triangular parcel, with just one empty triangle left over to fold. Brush this last empty pastry triangle once more with butter so that it attaches well. Place with this last folded side facing down on a lined baking tray.
Repeat: Repeat with the other nine sheets.
9) Bake: Once finished, brush all triangles with the remaining butter, then place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 15 minutes until cooked and golden-brown.
Tip: the triangles can be made ahead and frozen, adding 5 minutes cooking time when baked from frozen... of course this is not an option if, like in my case, the prawns were frozen before use...
No comments:
Post a Comment