From A Past Edition Of The New Orleans Menu Daily By Tom Fitzmorris Mille-Feuille de Crustaces Or, how about "seafood in pastry"? This was a terrific hot appetizer at Louis XVI, the first successful authentic French (as opposed to Creole French) restaurant in New Orleans. (It seems to have evolved into a banquet space for the St. Louis Hotel now.) This dish is very much in that style, rich with cream and seafood essence--not to mention a good deal of Louisiana fresh seafood, which fits into French cooking just fine. This is not a difficult recipe, but the result is beautiful and polished. The puff pastry dough can be bought at better supermarkets or good bakeries. 12 oz. prepared puff pastry dough 1 egg yolk 1 1/2  Tbs. butter 1/2 Tbs. olive oil 3 Tbs. chopped French shallots (or onions) 1 1/2 doz. fresh oysters, water reserved 6 oz. lump crabmeat 12-14 oz. crawfish tails, cooked 12 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 3 Tbs. Cognac 3/4 cup fish stock (or oyster water extended with plain water) 2 cups whipping cream 1 bunch green onions, chopped Dash Tabasco Salt White pepper Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 1. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly-floured surface until about 1/4 inch thick. With a very sharp knife or biscuit cutter, cut out rounds or ovals about 5-6 inches across. 2. Beat the egg with 1 tsp. water. Brush the tops of the pastry with the egg wash. Place the pastry on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated 400-degree oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. 3. After cooling, split the pastries as you would a biscuit. Cut out the doughy parts of the inside of the pastry, and set the pastry aside. 4. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the butter until it bubbles and saute the shallots until clear. Add the oysters and shrimp and saute about three minutes, until the oysters begin to curl at the edges and the shrimp turn pink. Add the crawfish and crabmeat and stir in to heat through--about one minute. 5. Measure the Cognac into a glass and then pour it into the pan. Carefully touch a flame to it and allow the flames to die out. Add the fish stock and bring to a boil. Remove the seafoods with a slotted spoon and set aside. 6. Whisk in the whipping cream slowly and bring to a slow simmer. Return the seafoods to the pan, along with the green onions. Stir lightly until the seafoods are incorporated into the sauce. Add the Tabasco and salt and pepper to taste. 7. Place a bottom half of each puff pastry on each serving plate. Divide the sauced seafood among the plates and top with the other half of the pastry. Serves four. Click here for an index of recipes from past editions. © 2007 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com