Vol-au-vents of mussel, spinach and Roquefort
by
Bringing a modern twist to a retro classic, Mark Dodson's vol-au-vents have a creamy blue cheese sauce to complement the mussel filling. Don't be afraid of giving mussels a try at home – really quick to cook and make these puff pastry tarts extra special. These individual versions make a great lunch, but you could make smaller ones for canapés as well.
Ingredients
Pastry
- 300g of puff pastry
- 350g of mussels , about 50 mussels
- 100ml of white wine
- 1 sprig of parsley
- 1 shallot , finely chopped
- 120ml of double cream
- 50g of Roquefort cheese
- 120g of spinach
- olive oil
- mixed salad leaves, such as cresses and herbs, to serve
Method
1
Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4
2
Line a baking tray with baking parchment
3
Roll out the puff pastry to approximately 1cm thick and cut out four 9cm discs of the pastry. Lightly mark a 7cm circle indent in the centre of each disc for the lid
- 300g of puff pastry
4
Transfer to the lined baking tray and bake in the oven for 12–15 minutes, or until golden brown
5
Allow to cool, then carefully cut around the indent to remove the centre of the puff pastry to create a lid. Set the cases and lids aside until needed
6
To prepare the filling, clean and wash the mussels in plenty of fresh water, discarding any with broken shells or that don’t close when tapped
- 350g of mussels , about 50 mussels
8
Cover the pan with a lid, and allow to steam for a few minutes until the mussels are cooked through (all the shells should have opened)
9
Drain the mussels but keep the cooking liquid. Pick through the mussels to remove them from their shells, checking for any remaining beards or broken shells
10
Pass the cooking liquid through a fine sieve into a clean pan, then return to the heat and boil down until reduced to a few tablespoons
11
Add the double cream and continue to cook until thickened and smooth, then add the mussels to the sauce to heat through. Crumble in the Roquefort cheese and remove from the heat
- 120ml of double cream
- 50g of Roquefort cheese
12
In a separate pan, wilt the spinach in a little olive oil until softened, then pat dry on kitchen towel and spoon some into each pastry case. Top with some of the creamy mussel mix and top each with a pastry lid
- 120g of spinach
13
Brush the lids with a little olive oil and serve with fresh salad leaves, cress and chopped herbs
- mixed salad leaves, such as cresses and herbs, to serve
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Vol-au-vents of mussel, spinach and Roquefort
