Grill Interrupted

En croûte is a French term referring to food that is wrapped or covered with pastry and then baked.

Although she didn’t know it had such a fancy name, a friend requested I hunt down a recipe for “mushroom soup with a pastry bubble on top that you break through to eat”.

The recipe below uses puff pastry. It’s formed by folding dough repeatedly to create layers with butter between each one. As the dough bakes, the moisture in the butter creates steam, causing the pastry to “puff” up.

Done, fun & delicious!

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Mushroom Soup en Croûte

Adapted from Williams Sonoma

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
14 oz. frozen puff pastry, thawed
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds cremini mushrooms, brushed clean and chopped
2 large shallots, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk, plus more as needed
2 cups chicken stock
1 egg, lightly beaten

                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                     

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle about 15 by 10 inches and 1/8 inch thick. Cut the pastry into six 5-inch squares. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. In a large pot over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the mushrooms and shallots and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the mushrooms are soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until the liquid evaporates, about 3 to 5 minutes more.
5. Stir in the 1 teaspoon salt and the 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Transfer the mushrooms to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside.
6. In the same pot over medium-low heat, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until no lumps are visible. Slowly whisk in the 2 cups of milk until combined. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is bubbling vigorously and thickened. While stirring, slowly add the stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes more. The mixture should be opaque and beige in color. Stir in the mushroom puree. Season with salt and pepper and thin with additional milk, if needed.
7. Ladle the soup into 6 ovenproof bowls and place on a baking sheet.
8. Brush the tops of the puff pastry squares with the beaten egg. Place 1 square on top of each bowl and press the edges to adhere. Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Filed under: Recipe on December 12th, 2009