Cheeseandoystervolauvents Recipes

CHEESE AND OYSTER VOL-AU-VENTS

Steps:

• Place half a teaspoon of cream cheese into each vol-au-vent shell.
• Cut oysters in half (or appropriate size for shells) and place on top of cream cheese.
• Combine diced cheddar, parsley, pepper and bread crumbs in a small bowl and mix.
• Place a teaspoon of mixture on top of each oyster.
• Cook in an oven for 10 minutes at 200 Celsius (400 Fahrenheit).
• Allow 5-10 minutes cooling time before serving.

OYSTER VOL-AU-VENTS

Steps:

• Pat the oysters dry with paper towels and set aside.
• Prepare béchamel sauce by combining the milk, bay leaf, onion, peppercorns and celery in a small, heavy-based saucepan, over a medium heat until bubbles form around the edge of the saucepan. Remove from the heat and stand at room temperature for 15 minutes to cool. Strain and reserve the milk.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan until hot and bubbling. Add the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to avoid the sauce from becoming lumpy.
• Return the saucepan to the heat and cook the sauce, stirring constantly on a medium-high heat until it comes to the boil and thickens. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
• Spoon 1 teaspoon of béchamel sauce into the base of each vol-au-vent case, top with an oyster and spoon over a little extra béchamel sauce.
• Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and hot. Just before serving, sprinkle with chopped chives.
• Note: These vol-au-vents can be prepared a few hours in advance and put in the oven just before they are required.

CHICKEN AVOCADO AND MUSHROOM VOL-AU-VENTS

Steps:

• Note: I could not get large vol-au-vent cases and used medium ones, they are just too small you can't fit enough filling in so there is too much pastry. For photo purposes I didn't overfill, but if this size is all you can get I suggest over stuffing and pouring extra filling and sauce over the top when dishing out. It doesn't look as pretty but you get a good ratio of filling to pastry and it still tastes delicious. The quantity of filling is for large cases and works well, but is to much for such small cases (hence over stuff). I used 2 cases for myself but gave 3 to my hubby.
• Heat oil in a pan and add onion and garlic, cook until onion softens, add mushrooms and cook until soft. Set aside.
• Wipe pan clean and add some more oil add seasoned breasts and cook both sides until cooked through. Remove and chop chicken into chunks. Set to one side.
• Pour milk in a pan with stock and heat. Add a little water to cornflour mix and pour half of the liquid into the milk, stir until mixture thickens slightly.
• Add wine, Dijon mustard, cayenne and cream stir to combine, add the rest of the cornflour and stir until mixture thickens.
• Return mushrooms, onion and chicken to cream mixture, add the thyme and avocado and stir in gently to combine. Keep hot until serving.
• Place vol-au-vent cases on an oven tray. Bake in a moderate oven about 5 Min's or until heated through.
• To serve place cases on plate and spoon filling into them. I served mine with honeyed carrots and buttery garlic spinach.

CHICKEN LIVER VOL-AU-VENTS

Steps:

• Bake the pastry according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet. Add the chicken livers and saute gently for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the skillet.
• Add the onion to the skillet and saute until softened.
• Add the mushrooms and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in the flour, then the broth. Simmer, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chicken livers.
• Remove the "lids" from the pastry shells and spoon the filling into the shells.
• Sprinkle with the cheese.
• Replace the lids and serve.

CHICKEN VOL-AU-VENTS WITH SWEET AND SOUR SALSA

Steps:

• Make salsa by mixing together ingredients from pineapple to vinegar together thoroughly in a bowl.
• Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes or more.
• Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C), set the baking sheet to be around the middle of the oven.
• Place a piece of cooked chicken in each case that fills it to about half way.
• Top with a little cheese, it will melt down a bit during cooking but leave some room at the top for the salsa to be added after cooking.
• Bake filled vol-au-vents case on a baking sheet for 10-15 minutes until cheese has melted, keeping an eye on it to make sure the vol-au-vent cases don't burn.
• Top each evenly with the salsa mix (about 3/4 teaspoon each) and serve.