Rissóis de Camarão

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •10cm (4-inch) round cutter or glass
• •Rolling pin
• •Deep pot or fryer
• •Kitchen thermometer
• •Slotted spoon
• •Fork for crimping

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the shrimp stock

   In a small pot, combine the reserved shrimp shells with 2 cups of water and the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. This is flavor you'd otherwise throw away. Strain and set aside. You'll need half a cup for the béchamel.

2. 2

   Cook and chop the shrimp

   Poach the peeled shrimp in the strained stock for 2 to 3 minutes until just pink and curled. Remove with a slotted spoon and let cool. Chop into small pieces, about the size of a chickpea. Not too fine or you lose the texture. Not too large or they'll tear through the dough.

   The shrimp will cook again when you fry the rissóis. Undercook them slightly now so they stay tender at the end.
3. 3

   Build the béchamel filling

   Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. No color. Add the flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw taste. Slowly whisk in the milk and then the shrimp stock. Keep whisking until the mixture thickens into a very thick béchamel, about 5 minutes. It should be thicker than a normal sauce, almost like a paste. Stir in the chopped shrimp, lemon juice, and parsley. Season with salt and white pepper. Spread on a plate, cover with plastic touching the surface, and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 1 hour.

   The filling must be cold and firm to shape. Warm filling will make the rissóis impossible to form. Patience here saves frustration later.
4. 4

   Make the dough

   In a saucepan, combine the water, butter, salt, and lemon zest. Bring to a full boil over medium-high heat. The moment it boils, remove from heat and add all the flour at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the pan. It will look rough at first, then smooth. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until uniform. Wrap in plastic and let rest for 15 minutes.

   This dough is similar to pâte à choux but drier. It should be pliable but not sticky. If it sticks to your hands, add a bit more flour when kneading.
5. 5

   Roll and cut the dough

   Roll the dough on a floured surface to about 2mm thick. It should be thin enough to fold without cracking but thick enough to hold the filling. Cut rounds using a 10cm (4-inch) cutter or the rim of a glass. Gather and re-roll the scraps. You should get about 24 rounds.

6. 6

   Shape the rissóis

   Place a heaping tablespoon of the cold filling in the center of each round. Fold the dough over to form a half-moon. Press the edges firmly with your fingers, then crimp with the tines of a fork to seal. The seal is critical. Any gaps and the filling will escape during frying. Work on a lightly floured surface and keep finished rissóis covered so they don't dry out.

   Avó Leonor had a trick: she'd dip her finger in water and run it along the edge before folding. The moisture helps the seal.
7. 7

   Bread the rissóis

   Set up three shallow dishes: flour in the first, beaten eggs in the second, breadcrumbs in the third. Dredge each rissól in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg, letting the excess drip off. Roll in breadcrumbs, pressing gently so they adhere. Place on a tray lined with parchment. Repeat with all rissóis.

8. 8

   Fry until golden

   Heat oil in a deep pot or fryer to 180°C (350°F). Fry the rissóis in batches of 4 or 5, turning once, until deep golden brown on all sides, about 3 minutes total. Don't crowd the pot or the temperature will drop and the coating will absorb oil. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

   Test your oil with a small piece of dough. It should sizzle immediately and rise to the surface. If it sinks and sits, the oil isn't hot enough.

Chef Tips

• •Use raw shrimp, not pre-cooked. Pre-cooked shrimp will turn to rubber by the time they're fried twice. The gentle poach, then the hot fry: that's how you keep them tender.
• •White pepper instead of black. Black pepper leaves visible specks in the filling that some consider unsightly. Traditional recipes call for white. Your guests won't know the difference, but you will.
• •The dough dries out quickly. Keep rounds covered with a damp towel while you work. If edges crack when you fold, the dough has dried. Knead it briefly with wet hands to restore pliability.
• •At Mesa da Avó, we serve these with lemon wedges and nothing else. The filling is already seasoned, already complete. They don't need sauce. They need to be eaten hot, standing around the kitchen, before they even reach the table.

Advance Preparation

• •The filling must be made at least 1 hour ahead and chilled until firm. It can be made up to 2 days in advance.
• •Shaped and breaded rissóis can be frozen for up to 2 months. Freeze on a tray until solid, then transfer to bags. Fry directly from frozen, adding 1 minute to cooking time.
• •Once fried, rissóis are best eaten immediately. They can be kept warm in a low oven (100°C) for up to 20 minutes, but the coating will lose some crispness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 rissóis (about 50g)