Sassy Southern Cooking with a French Twist

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Lowcountry Boil Tart – Perfect Memorial Day Fare!

Lowcountry Boil Tart makes great party food for your holiday weekend!

Adapted from Tart Love – Sassy, Savory and Sweet (Gibbs Smith, October 1, 2011) by Holly Herrick….

An ode to the Lowcountry Boil, this delectable tart brings together the fabled ingredients of corn, shrimp, kielbasa, potatoes, and a kiss of Old Bay seasoning. But, instead of being poured out onto newspaper for greedy, messy consumption as it’s usually done, the ingredients are encased in a crunchy, buttery puff pastry shell. Because the puff pastry cooks in just about 20 – 25 minutes, the shrimp cooks through perfectly and the pre-cooked, packaged keilbasa (a smoked Polish sausage) warms to a gleaming, golden brown without drying out. All of the toppings can be prepped while the potatoes cook. Then, the potatoes are quickly pureed and it all comes together in a flash. I love this tart cut into small squares and served as elegant, whimsical party food. It’s also delicious quartered and served with a salad for a modern, sophisticated take on an old country favorite. This one is a beauty! Even more beautiful considering it can be prepped, compiled and chilled for several hours before baking off. Have a beautiful and happy and safe Memorial Day weekend! Oh, and delicious, too!

Lowcountry Boil Puff Tart

(Makes 2 square tarts – 8 entree portions or 32 appetizer portions)

Equipment needed: baking sheet and parchment paper

2 sheets Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets

1 egg wash – yolk, pinch salt, splash water, blended together

For the filling:

1 large Yukon Gold potatoe, peeled and cut into 1″ cubes (about 2 cups total)

Cold water to cover

1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

3/4 cup raw corn, ideally fresh and seasonal or substitute frozen

2 cups (3/4 pound) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut into 1/2″ lengths

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves)

1 1/2 cups pre-cooked keilbasa, cut into 1/2″ cubes

Fresh thyme sprigs for garnish

Preheat oven to 400F. Forty minutes before compiling and baking, thraw the pastry at room temperature according to package directions. Prepare the egg wash and set aside. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Place the prepped potatoes in a medium sauce pan and add enough cold water to cover along with the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring up to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to medium. Cook until the potatoes are fok tender; about 15 minutes total. Drain the potatoes thoroughly in a colander. Return the drained potatoes to the same pan they were cooked in. Add the butter, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and Old Bay Seasoning. Mash with a potato masher until all the liquid/seasoning is incorporated and the potatoes have a chunky/smooth texture. Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly. Also, feel free to add a little extra cream or butter if they seem like they need a little extra liquid. They should be stiff enough to stand up in a spoon – too much liquid will make for a runny tart. Fold in the fresh (or frozen) corn with a wooden spoon. Turn out into a shallow bowl and refrigerate utnil cool. (Note: The potatoes can be prepared the day before and refrigerated, covered).

Meanwhile, combine the shrimp, olive oil, salt, peper, thyme, and kielbasa in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Unfold the thawed pastry and arrange each square, evenly spaced, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush each square with the egg wash, being careful to brush the entire top of the pastry, but avoid letting the wash drip down the sides. To compile the tarts, plop half of the cooled potato mixture in the middle of each tart. Using a spatula, evenly spread the potatoes over the pastry, forming a potato puree square, and leaving a 1/2″ naked pastry border – this will later rise to form the puff pastry borders. Evenly arrange the shrimp/kielbasa mixture on top of the potatoes. Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm as an appetizer portion or main course. Garnish lightly with fresh thyme sprigs.

Wishing you all a lovely and safe holiday! Remember, Tart Love, Sassy, Savory and Sweet is available for pre-order on amazon.com. Look for it in bookstores near you on October 1, 2011. Happy cooking today and always!

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