Vol au Vent

VOL AUX VENTS - BOUCHEE A LA REINE
 
Ingredients for 6 servings
 
Fresh Seafood Option
12 small raw prawns (cut in 2 or 3)
150g mussels (cut in 2 or 3)
150g white fish cut into 1 or 1.5cm pieces
150g calamari  (cut into 1 or 1.5 cm thick slices)
 
   Pre-mixed alternative
 
6 vol au vent pastry cases (medium size if for an entree or large for a main meal)
200g mushrooms (finely sliced)
A small bouquet of parsley (finely chopped)
1 glass of white wine,not dry (kind of not Sauvigon)
200ml of hot fish stock (if not available use a vegetable stock)
50g organic white flour
50g butter + 20g butter
2 tablespoons of fresh (thickened or liquid) cream
50g grated cheese (preferably Jarslberg)
1 ½  egg yolks
A splash of Whisky or Rum
Salt & Pepper
 
Optional: feel free to add any other seafood you like, such as rocklobster, crab, oysters or caviar. Make sure the pieces are roughly the same size.
 
Methods:

1. Prepare and chop all the ingredients first.
2. Prepare your stock if you use cube stock (mix it with boiling water) and set aside.
3. In a medium pan, melt 20g of butter then toss and cook the finely diced mushrooms for 10 minutes. Set aside in a bowl with the juices from the pan.
4. In the same  pan, on low heat, add the mix of seafood, parsley, white wine and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add a splash of whisky or rum (if you are brave, try to flambé it !)
5. Stir often and after approximately 15 minutes the seafood should be cooked. Check by texture of cooked seafood, (white or pink solid flesh)
6. Set the pan aside, leaving the seafood to gently cool down in their juices.
7. When cool, drain the seafood and add the juice to your stock.
8. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees.
9. Next make your béechamel sauce by melting the remaining butter in a casserole then stirring in the flour until absorbed by the butter. Add the cold stock in one go, continuing to stir until the mixture starts to thicken. Click here (LINK) for a more detailed description of how to make a béechamel sauce.
10. In a large bowl, combine the cooked drained seafood, the mushrooms, the béchamel sauce, the fresh cream and one egg yolk. Mix well and set aside. If you find the beéchamel sauce is too thick, add more stock little by little.
11.  Season the seafood mixture to taste.
12. Place the vol aux vent cases on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Paint the outside edge of the pastry case with the remaining ½ egg yolk.
13. Fill the cases with the seafood mix and sprinkle with the grated cheese.
14. Bake the vol aux vents for 10 to12 minutes until the cheese has melted and turned golden. They will be perfectly cooked if the mixture escapes like a slow wave when cut in half.
15. Serve with a green salad and enjoy!