Seafood Crustade with Cream

Ingredients

• 2 piece Butter puff pastry bites (Ready-made puff pastry, preferably butter-based)
• 500 g Mixed seafood (mussels, clams, cockles, etc.) (Well washed and rinsed, shells open during cooking)
• 6 pcs Cooked pink shrimp (Peeled, keep heads for the sauce)
• 25 cl Liquid cream (30% fat cream, at room temperature)
• 1 nut Unsalted butter (About 20 g, at room temperature)
• 1 pcs Garlic clove (Finely minced)
• 1 tbsp Fresh chopped parsley (Finely chopped)
• 1 pinch Paprika (For color and a slight smoky taste)
• to taste Freshly ground black pepper (According to taste)

Instructions

1. Prepare the seafood

   Rinse the mixed seafood thoroughly under cold water, remove impurities and broken shells. Drain in a colander.

   Time: PT10M

2. Sauté the shellfish

   Melt the butter nut in a pan over medium heat. Add the seafood, minced garlic and chopped parsley. Sauté 3 to 4 minutes, stirring regularly until the shells open.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: moyen

3. Drain and collect the juice

   Transfer the opened shellfish to a colander, reserving the cooking liquid. Pass the liquid through a sieve to remove small shell fragments.

   Time: PT3M

4. Prepare the shrimp

   Peel the six cooked pink shrimp, keeping the heads and shells in a separate bowl.

   Time: PT5M

5. Warm the puff pastry bites

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Place the two puff pastry bites on a tray and bake 5 to 6 minutes until golden and hot.

   Time: PT6M

   Temperature: 180°C

6. Prepare the cream sauce

   Return the pan to low heat, add the shrimp heads and the reserved juice. Add a splash of water, season with pepper, then bring to a boil. Pour in the liquid cream, stir in the paprika, and let simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes without vigorous boiling.

   Time: PT7M

   Temperature: moyen-doux

7. Strain the sauce

   Pass the sauce through a fine sieve, gently pressing with the whisk to extract maximum aromatic juice.

   Time: PT2M

8. Reheat the seafood in the sauce

   Return the shellfish and peeled shrimp to the strained sauce. Heat over very low heat 2 to 3 minutes just to warm them, without letting it boil.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: très doux

9. Plating and serving

   Place each puff pastry bite in the center of a plate. Generously top with the seafood mixture, lightly drizzle sauce around, and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve immediately with a chilled white wine.

   Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

950

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

60 g

Fat

55 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Butter puff pastry bites: Industrial puff pastry, Homemade puff pastry
• Instead of Mixed seafood (mussels, clams, cockles, etc.): Mussels only, Shrimp only
• Instead of Cooked pink shrimp: Raw shrimp (to cook), Gambas
• Instead of Liquid cream: Heavy cream, Half‑and‑half
• Instead of Unsalted butter: Margarine
• Instead of Garlic clove: Garlic powder (½ tsp)
• Instead of Fresh chopped parsley: Chives, Dill
• Instead of Paprika: Sweet pepper, Smoked paprika
• Instead of Freshly ground black pepper: White pepper

Equipment Needed

• Heavy‑bottomed skillet
• Colander or chinois
• Whisk
• Oven
• Baking sheet or oven‑proof dish
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Tablespoon

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Sauté the shellfish until they fully open
• Do not boil the cream to avoid it separating
• Strain the sauce to remove shell residues

Chef Tips from the Video

• A splash of dry white wine added to the cooking juice intensifies the marine flavor.
• Sprinkle a little lemon zest over the dish just before serving for a fresh touch.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the sauce and seafood separately in airtight containers, consume within 24 h.

Freezer: Freezing already baked puff pastry is not recommended.

Room temperature: The puff pastry bites stay crisp for up to 2 h at room temperature.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the sauce ahead of time and gently reheat before serving.
• The shellfish can be cooked 30 min in advance, then reheated in the sauce.