Shrimp and Vegetables in White Wine Cream Sauce served in Puff Pastry Shells

When I started this experiment this afternoon, I had plans to make a shrimp pot pie. But as the cooking progressed, I decided to use puff pastry shells instead of puff pastry for a crust. This was very rich, very delicious and I enjoyed my time spent cooking and assembling.

10 oz. puff pastry shells, cooked according to package directions and set aside

For the sauce:

4 T. butter

6 T. all purpose flour

1 cup seafood stock or white wine

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 t. Old Bay seasoning

2 drops hot sauce

a couple of grinds of black pepper

zest and juice of one lemon

1/4 cup water (optional)

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium low heat. Stir in flour and keep whisking until smooth and bubbly.

Remove from heat and add the shrimp stock (or wine) and cream, a little at a time. Keep whisking to keep the mixture smooth. Return to heat.

Bring the sauce to a gentle boil. Cook, whisking constantly, until it thickens. Add the Old Bay seasoning, hot sauce and salt and pepper. Turn off heat. Whisk in lemon zest and juice. When you are ready to serve, if the sauce has thickened too much, you can thin with a little water.

Now for the filling:

1 T. olive oil

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped mushrooms

1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, cut into thirds

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion, bell pepper and celery.  Let cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 - 7 minutes until vegetables are softened.

Add mushrooms and cook for another 2 - 3 minutes.

Add the vegetables to the sauce mixture and stir well to blend completely with the sauce. Add the shrimp to the skillet and over low heat, stirring constantly, and cook until shrimp are opaque.

Carefully blend in shrimp to the sauce and vegetables.  Taste and check for seasonings and add additional salt and/or pepper if needed.

If you'd like, leave a few of the shrimp whole to use as a garnish. Cook them until they are bright pink and cooked through.

Spoon filling into cooked pastry shells and garnish with a little chopped parsley if desired.