Beggars Purses Filled with Shrimp and Scented with Lemon and Thyme
- 1 1/2 cups cooked shrimp, finely diced (about 12 medium shrimp)
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1/4 lemon, juiced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 20 blades fresh chives
- Crepes, recipe follows
- Special equipment: crepe pan
- Start by making the aromatic shrimp filling: Combine the first 5 ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.
- Season the mix with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, bring 1-inch of water to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Place the chives in the water and blanch for 1 minute.
- Remove the chives and squeeze them dry in a paper towel.
- The chives will be all bunched up in a ball at this point, so carefully separate them and set them aside.
- To assemble your purses: take a crepe and cut it in half.
- Place a heaping tablespoon of the shrimp filling in the middle of each half of crepe and draw up the sides of the crepe as to make a pouch of filling resembling a purse.
- Carefully twist the crepe around at the top and lay it on its side, holding the crepe closed at the top.
- Slip a chive under the crepe and tie it around the twisted top in a knot to secure the purse.
- Trim away any extra crepe and length of chive.
- After practicing this technique a few times you will get the hang of it and they will come together nicely.
- These may be made ahead of time and frozen for up to 1 month.
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 eggs
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Pinch salt
- To make the crepe batter, combine the flour, milk, water, eggs, 2 tablespoons of butter, and salt in a blender.
- Blend on high until the batter is smooth.
- Cover and let the batter sit for 30 minutes.
- This is essential in creating strong crepes which will hold up to the stress of tying them into your beggars purses.
- Place a 7 1/2-inch nonstick crepe pan over medium heat.
- Brush a little of the remaining melted butter into the pan with a pastry brush.
- Ladle 2 tablespoons of crepe batter into the pan and swirl to coat the entire pan evenly.
- Cook the crepe until it is set and the bottom is golden brown.
- Using a heat-proof rubber spatula, flip the crepe over and cook on the second side until it is lightly browned as well.
- Continue making crepes with remaining batter.
- Set aside covered with a dish towel until you are ready to assemble your beggars purses.
- Yield: 12 crepes
shrimp, lemon, lemon, thyme, extravirgin olive oil, salt, chives, crepe pan
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/beggars-purses-filled-with-shrimp-and-scented-with-lemon-and-thyme-recipe.html (may not work)