Alright, let me tell you about what I did with some vol au vent cases the other day. I found these frozen puff pastry shells at the store, you know, the ones already shaped. Seemed like a good shortcut, and I’m all for saving time when I can.
So, I got them home and baked them off. Just followed the instructions on the box, really. Popped them in the oven until they puffed up and got golden brown. Easy enough. While they were cooling down a bit, I started thinking about what to stuff inside.
Making the Fillings Happen
I didn’t want anything too complicated. The whole point was quick and easy, right? I rummaged through the fridge and pantry.
First idea: Creamy Mushrooms. Always a safe bet.
- I grabbed a bunch of button mushrooms, gave them a quick wipe, and chopped them up. Not too fine, wanted some texture.
- Tossed a knob of butter into a hot pan. Once it melted, in went the mushrooms. Added a bit of chopped onion I had lying around too.
- Sautéed them until they softened up and got some nice color. You gotta cook out the water.
- Then, I poured in a splash of heavy cream. Maybe about half a cup? Didn’t really measure.
- Stirred it all up, seasoned with salt, pepper, and a pinch of dried thyme because I didn’t have fresh. Let it bubble away gently for a few minutes just to thicken slightly. Took it off the heat. Done.
Second idea: A Cheesy Chicken Thing. Needed something different.
- Found some leftover cooked chicken breast. Shredded that up pretty good.
- Dumped it in a bowl. Added a big spoonful of mayonnaise. Maybe two.
- Threw in a handful of grated cheddar cheese. Sharp cheddar works best, I reckon.
- Added some finely chopped spring onions for a bit of bite.
- Mixed it all together. Tasted it. Added a bit more black pepper. That was literally it. Took about 5 minutes flat.
Putting It All Together
Okay, so the pastry cases were cool enough to handle but still a little warm. Perfect.
I just took a spoon and carefully filled them up. Put the creamy mushroom mixture in about half of them. It smelled pretty good.
Then I filled the other half with the cheesy chicken mix. Tried to pile it in there nicely.
And that was that. Placed them on a platter. They actually looked quite decent, considering how little effort went in. The mushroom ones were warm and comforting, the chicken ones were cool and tangy. Good contrast.
Served these up when a friend dropped by unexpectedly. Went down a treat. It just goes to show, you don’t need hours or fancy recipes to make something tasty. Sometimes simple and quick is the way to go. Worked for me, anyway.