Herbed Mushroom Stuffed Pastry Cups

Puff pastry is a staple in my kitchen and I usually have a package or two in the freezer. It’s amazing what you can do with puff pastry and everything you use with it just tastes better. For a recent catering order, I made these Herbed Mushroom Stuffed Pastry Cups. These delectable bites are addictive and full of flavor, all in a buttery pastry shell. If you want an elegant appetizer, look no more…

For these Herbed Mushroom Stuffed Pastry Cups, I used some special puff pastry shells but you can get the same flavor and similar effect with puff pastry found in your local grocery store. Just cut the puff pastry into squares and form them into the wells of a mini muffin pan. You can even make large pastry cups by forming the puff pastry into the wells of a standard muffin pan. Either way, these pastry cups are elegant and filled with a nice blend of mushrooms and herbs.

1 package Pepperidge Farm puff pastry

Herbed Mushroom Filling:
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, minced
4 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound mushrooms, minced (white, shiitake, cremini, your choice)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground poultry seasoning
1/8 teaspoon thyme flakes
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup sour cream

Cut each package of puff pastry (there’s 2 in a package) into 2 inch x 2 inch squares and place 1 square in each well of a mini muffin tin. Push the puff pastry down into the well to form a cup. Bake in a 400 degree preheated oven for 5-7 minutes or until the pastry is lightly browned and puffed. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Saute together butter, onion, shallot and garlic until the onion is transparent. Add mushrooms and lemon juice, and continue sauteing until mushrooms are tender and all the liquid is absorbed. Add seasonings and flour, and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add sour cream and cook and stir for 2 minutes or until mixture is very thick. Allow mixture to cool.

Once cooled, fill each puff pastry cup with the mushroom filling and serve.