Oysters And Sausage In Pastry Shells Recipes

OYSTER PATTIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the bread flour, cake flour, sugar, and salt. Toss the chunks of butter into the flour and make sure each piece is coated with it. Combine the vinegar with 1 cup cold water and stir into the flour mixture while lightly tossing the ingredients to moisten them evenly. Gather the dough into a ball.
• On a lightly floured surface, pat and roll the dough into a neat rectangle that's about 1/2 inch thick. Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Unwrap the dough and place it on a floured work surface with the folded side towards you. Roll the folded dough into a rectangle and again fold the dough into thirds. Repeat this process two times. The dough will be slightly marbled-looking with streaks of butter running through it. Wrap the dough in plastic and let it chill for 1 hour.
• Unwrap the dough and place it on a floured work surface. Roll it out to a 1/4-inch thickness and cut it into 4-inch squares with a sharp knife. Place the squares 3 inches apart on a baking sheet and chill for 1 hour.
• Heat the oven to 400°F.
• Bake the pastries for 10 minutes or until puffed and golden. Remove the pastries to a cooling rack.
• In a medium skillet set over medium heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes or until the roux is lightly golden. Add the shallots, celery, and garlic and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the oyster liquor and the clam juice to the roux, along with the bay leaf, thyme, salt, and cayenne pepper, and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens, about 4 minutes. Add the heavy cream, sherry, and parsley and cook for 3 minutes or until very thick. Add the oysters and cook, stirring, just until the edges begin to curl, 3 to 4 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.
• To serve, make an indentation in the center of each pastry square using the back of a spoon. Spoon the oyster filling into the center of each pastry. Serve at once.
• If you are a hostess pressed for time, pick up frozen puff pastry shells at the grocer.
• The vinegar helps make the pastry more tender.
• The pastry cases can be made 1 day in advance or frozen unbaked for 1 month.
• If you like, cut 3-inch rounds of dough and top each round with a circle with the center cut out (like a doughnut) and bake to form more elegant patty shells (or you can just buy some frozen ones).

OYSTER PATTIES, EASY AND VERSATILE

Steps:

• 1. Assemble all the ingredients in your work space, chopping those that need to be chopped. Drain the oysters in a collander, keeping oyster liquid (liquor) in a container. You will need a frying pan, dutch oven and a whisk or wooden spoon.
• 2. Beurre' Blanc: Use a frying pan or saute' pan, and melt butter on low heat. Add the flour and use a whisk to blend. Don't let the flour brown, keep it light ivory; add 1 cup of oyster liquor to the pan slowly. Whisk to get even texture. Simmer until liquid coats a spoon like a light gravy. Take off heat and set aside. (Note : this is not the classic beurre' blanc, if you want to use that recipe, I have posted it separately under Classic Beurre' Blanc).
• 3. In the Dutch oven, saute' the onions, red pepper flakes until soft/clear. Add oysters to the Dutch oven and begin heating on low medium heat, add in all other ingredients/spices. Cook on medium for 3/4 minutes (cover the pot). Add the the beurre' blanc to this pot. Cover pot and simmer lightly for 5 minutes. Add heavy cream a small amount at a time to keep the mixture like a thick gravy or soup. Simmer for 4 minutes. Adjust liquid to your preferred consistency, and remember you if you are putting it in the patty shell and reheating for 8 minutes this can affect the thickness (use alternate methods in #5). Taste and season to your taste; if more liquid is required use oyster liquor and/or heavy cream. Too soupy --reduce liquid by cooking down or by adding more small amounts of flour/butter mixture. Turn off heat and allow to set for 2 minutes to see consistency.
• 4. Follow directions for baking the patty shells on Puff Pastry box. Bake to golden brown. To prepare for immediate serving: Serve immediately on patty shells straight from the oven with centers removed and placed on your plates. Spoon oyster mixture in and running over the sides. Place cutout top back on the patty shell.
• 5. Alternate way of putting oyster patty together: 1. As individual entrees: Use small ramekins and fill with the hot mixture, then cover with unbaked puff pastry (the flat kind). Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees until pastry is done and golden brown on top. 2.To assemble for later: Bake the Puff Pastry patty shells as directed on the box; cool on wire rack. Heat the oyster mixture insuring it's thick and creamy. On a foil lined cookie sheet place 8 patty shells with centers removed, and spoon in the mixture, placing the tops back on. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 5 minutes to get inside bubbly hot and well heated. Serve. 3. Quick method microwave: assemble previously baked patty shells on plates, spoon in hot mixture, running over the sides and microwave for 15/20 seconds to heat the patty up and serve. (Don't over microwave as the pastry gets leathery) 3. As hors d'oeuvres, the small patty shells can be filled and heated and served prior to the main meal. These can be done the night before, refrigerated and heated the next day. 375 degrees for 8/10 minutes in the oven on a cookie sheet. 4. Serve as a soup with bits of baked puff pastry broken on top and a few pieces of mico-greens or parsley on top.