Frivolities

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Rimmed sheet pan with wire rack
• •10-inch (25 cm) sauté pan
• •Small food processor
• •Balloon whisk and two medium mixing bowls
• •Three piping bags with ⅜-inch (1 cm) plain tips, optional

Instructions

1. 1

   Refresh the shells

   Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Arrange the baked Barquettes (No. 314) open-side up on a wire rack set over a sheet pan and warm them for 5 to 7 minutes, just until the pastry feels dry and smells distinctly of butter. Cool them completely on the rack. Warm shells soften butter-based fillings, and trapped moisture softens pastry; if a shell still bends slightly when cool, return the whole batch to the oven for 2 minutes. Ça se rattrape.

   A properly dried shell breaks cleanly under the teeth without crumbling at a touch. Keep the shells uncovered until fully cool, then protect them from kitchen humidity.
2. 2

   Cook the duxelles

   Melt 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 14 g) butter in a 10-inch (25 cm) sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 1 minute without browning, then add the mushrooms with a pinch of the salt. Raise the heat to medium-high and stir until the mushrooms release their water, the liquid evaporates, and the pan begins to sizzle again. Add the wine and reduce it completely. Stir in 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 30 g) cream and cook until the duxelles holds a furrow when the spoon passes through it. Season with white pepper, spread it thinly on a plate, and chill. If liquid gathers around it as it cools, return it to the pan and reduce again; flour would dull the filling and is no rescue at all.

3. 3

   Blend the ham mousse

   Process the jambon blanc with the softened butter, Dijon mustard, half the chopped chervil, a small pinch of salt, and a pinch of white pepper until smooth. Whisk the cold cream in a small bowl until it holds soft folds, then incorporate it into the ham mixture with a spatula. The mousse should hold a soft peak without looking oily. If warmth makes it loose or greasy, chill it for 10 minutes and beat it firmly with the spatula until smooth again. Ça se rattrape. Cover and keep cold.

4. 4

   Bind the shrimp cream

   Set aside 8 whole shrimp for finishing and chop the remainder finely enough to fit inside the shells while retaining some texture. Fold the chopped shrimp into the crème fraîche with the lemon juice, zest, cayenne, half the chives, a pinch of salt, and a little white pepper. Keep the mixture cold. If liquid appears at the bottom of the bowl, the shrimp carried too much water; set the mixture in a fine sieve over a bowl for 5 minutes, then chill it again. Don't bury the problem under crumbs.

5. 5

   Fill at the last moment

   No more than 30 minutes before serving, divide the Barquettes (No. 314) into three groups of 8. Spoon the cold duxelles into the first group, stopping just above the rim. Pipe or spoon the ham mousse into the second group and finish each with a small chervil leaf. Fill the final group with shrimp cream, then top each with one reserved shrimp and a few sliced chives. Use about 2 teaspoons (10 ml) filling per shell. Generosity here means a complete bite, not a top-heavy mound.

   A plain piping bag makes the ham mousse neat, but two teaspoons are perfectly sufficient. Cooking well is not cooking fancy.
6. 6

   Arrange and serve

   Alternate the three fillings across a long platter so guests can recognize the assortment without a little speech from the cook. Let the filled shells stand for 5 to 10 minutes at cool room temperature, which softens the butter just enough for the flavors to open, then serve at once. Keep any second tray cold and bring it out later rather than letting shrimp and ham sit out for more than 2 hours. À table!

Chef Tips

• •The entry gives Frivolités a form rather than one ordained filling. Mushroom, ham, and shrimp provide earthy, savory, and bright notes while keeping the tray within the classical cold-table vocabulary.
• •Finely chopped does not mean puréed. The mushroom and shrimp fillings should retain enough texture to taste of themselves; only the ham mousse wants complete smoothness.
• •Taste every filling cold. Chilling mutes seasoning, so a mixture that tastes timid from the refrigerator will remain timid in the shell.
• •Serve with brut Champagne or a dry white wine with lively acidity. The wine should clear the butter and cream from the palate without bullying these small bites.

Advance Preparation

• •The baked Barquettes (No. 314) can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and stored airtight once completely cool. Refresh them in the oven for 5 minutes on the day of serving.
• •The duxelles and ham mousse can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated separately in airtight containers. Bring neither to room temperature before filling.
• •The shrimp cream can be mixed up to 6 hours ahead. Assemble all three varieties no more than 30 minutes before serving so the pastry stays crisp.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (3 pieces, about 68g)