Portuguese Party Shrimp Rissoles

Makes about 2 ½ to 3 dozen

Get the party started with Portuguese Shrimp Rissoles! These crispy, golden pockets are filled with a creamy shrimp mixture that’s bursting with flavor. Perfectly bite-sized and totally irresistible, they’re a crowd-pleasing snack that’s sure to disappear fast. Serve them up hot and watch your guests come back for more!

INGREDIENTS

For the filling:

2.5 ml (½ teaspoon) coarse salt or to taste
2.5 ml (½ teaspoon) ground white pepper
30 ml (2 tablespoons) butter
60 ml (¼ cup) finely chopped onion
237 ml (1 cup) milk
7.5 ml (½ tablespoon) finely chopped cilantro or parsley
5 to 10 ml (1 to 2 teaspoons) hot pepper sauce, or to taste
1.25 ml (¼ teaspoon) ground nutmeg
30 ml (2 tablespoons) cornstarch or flour
227 grams (8 ounces, about 1½ cups) peeled (shells reserved) and deveined, shrimp, cooked, well-drained, and coarsely chopped

For the pastry dough:

57 grams (4 tablespoons) butter
473 ml (2 cups) milk or broth (shrimp shells simmered in water 15 minutes then strained out)
5 ml (1 teaspoon) coarse sea salt
240 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour

For assembly:

3 eggs, lightly beaten with 45 ml (3 tablespoons) water
Fine plain breadcrumbs
28 to 57 grams (2 to 4 tablespoons) soft warm butter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Filling: Melt butter in a 1-quart saucepan. Sauté onion over medium heat until golden, about 4-5 minutes. Reduce heat, add milk, and heat until just scalding. Stir in cilantro, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix cornstarch with 2 tbsp water, then stir into milk. Simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened (1-2 minutes). Add shrimp, heat for 1 minute, and remove from heat. Let cool completely or refrigerate until needed.
2. Pastry Dough: In a 2-quart pot, heat milk (or broth), butter, and salt until scalding. Reduce heat and stir in flour until dough pulls away from the sides and becomes smooth. Remove from heat.
3. Assembly: On a warm buttered surface, briefly knead the dough. Divide in half. Keep one half warm under a bowl. Roll the other half into a 4-6 inch cylinder. Roll out to about ⅛ inch thick, place 1 tbsp filling in the center, and fold dough over. Cut into half-moon shapes with a 3-inch cutter. Repeat with remaining dough.
4. Coating: Dip each rissole in egg wash, then coat with breadcrumbs. Place on a lined tray without overlapping.
5. Cooking: Fry in hot oil, a few at a time, until golden. Serve hot or at room temperature. To reheat, fry in advance and warm in the oven.
6. Freezing: To freeze, place breaded rissoles on a plastic-wrapped sheet pan. Double-wrap and freeze. Transfer to a sealed plastic bag. Fry directly from frozen or let thaw slightly for 15 minutes before cooking. Keeps for 2-3 months.