These flaky shrimp puff pastry are the perfect treat for these late summer months, filled with a creamy curry shrimp and apple sauce and baked to perfection!
Recently I read a book called Provence, 1970 by Luke Barr. It tells the story of the famous chefs of that time period on their journey to start a revolution in American cooking: M.F.K. Fisher, Julia Child, James Beard, and Richard Olney to name a few. Barr – the great-nephew of M.F.K. Fisher – used the journals and letters of Fisher and her companions to craft this well-written book that reads like a beautiful memoir. It paints a picture of not only a stunning French countryside, but also the story of how French classical cooking was adapted in order to cultivate a new American cuisine. Pioneered by Julia Child, this revolution eventually shaped the kitchens and cooking styles of at-home cooks around the world.
This book was eye-opening – I could barely put it down! I’m often interested in learning more about history (especially food history, of course!) but many books can be dry. Barr does a great job of crafting a story that keeps you wondering what’s around the next corner for Fisher and her friends. The book even includes copies of menus from dinner parties that this group had held. Even though the last morsel of these original meals was eaten long ago, I was eager to recreate some of the dishes – with a modern twist!
Related: Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Avocado Dipping Sauce
These shrimp puff pastries were inspired by one of the courses that Julia Child served to her companions when they came to visit her and her husband Paul at their cottage in Provence, in the winter of 1969-1970. I stuffed store-bought puff pastry sheets with a mixture of shrimp, apple and onion, fused together in a glorious creamy curry sauce. My mouth is watering just remembering the taste of biting into one of these piping hot pastries! A little egg wash on top, a couple slits of the puff pastry with a knife, and they are ready to be baked in the oven. Serve with a light salad on the side and this shrimp puff pastry meal can carry you from late summer all the way through fall and into the winter with how tasty it is!
Now it’s your turn: what is your favorite recent “foodie” find when it comes to literature? I’m always looking for new foodie books to try, recipe books included! Share your favorites with me below!
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 apple, finely diced
- ½ yellow onion, minced
- 2 tsp. curry powder
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. white pepper
- ½ cup cream
- ½ cup seafood stock
- 8 oz. uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and diced
- 1 package puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed but still somewhat cold
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- Heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium-sized skillet set over medium-high heat, melt butter and olive oil. Add onion and apple and sauté for about 14-16 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft and onions are translucent. Add curry powder, salt, and pepper and stir for 1 minute until onions and apples are evenly coated. Add cream and seafood stock and turn heat down to medium. Allow to reduce until sauce has thickened. Add shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes until shrimp is pink and just slightly starting to firm. Remove pan from heat.
- Lightly dust a cutting board with flour. Flatten puff pastry sheets slightly with a rolling pin. Cut each sheet into four even squares. Pile a heaping spoonful of filling onto each square. Brush the edges with the lightly beaten egg wash. Fold one corner over to the opposite corner, so that you form a triangle. Pinch the edges together firmly, and then use a fork to make small pleats over these edges. Cut a small slit in the top of each pastry and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all remaining puff pastry squares are filled.
- Brush tops of pastries with remaining egg wash and bake in oven for 20-24 minutes, until pastries are golden brown on top. Remove baking sheet from tray and serve warm. Enjoy!
