Seafood Wellington

Directions

Bake four vol au vents (puff pastry shells).

Either use homemade mille feuille or commercial puff pastry dough and follow instructions.

Vol au vent should be oval shaped and about 12 x 8 cm (5 x 3 inches) in size.

Sauce preparation: Sauté finely-chopped onion in 4 ounces clarified butter, add tomato paste, flour, and paprika.

Mix well, add stock, stirring until smooth.

Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.

Add heavy cream, seasoning to taste.

Add a dash of cayenne, tabasco and the lemon wedge (easy on the spices; Nantua sauce should not be spicy hot).

Let simmer for five more minutes.

Retrieve lemon.

Blend sauce in high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.

Heat sauté pan on medium to high heat.

Drop in butter, then add in quick succession: first lobster meat, then prawns, sautéeing each until rare, then add mushrooms.

Flame with cognac, add the scallops and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

Pour in the Nantua sauce, adding the bay shrimp, and bring to a short bowl.

Fill in preheated vol au vents and serve with steamed vegetables.