Best Chicken And Leek Beggars Purses Recipes

CRISPY BEGGAR'S PURSE

Steps:

• If frozen, defrost the spring roll skins thoroughly. Soak the mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes. Squeeze out the excess liquid. Remove and discard the stems and finely chop the caps. Soak the noodles in a large bowl of warm water for 15 minutes. When soft, drain and discard the water. Cut into 3 inch lengths.
• Put the prawns and pork in a large bowl, add salt and pepper and mix well. Then add the rest of the ingredients except for blanched green onions and frying oil, noodles and mushrooms and stir them well into the prawn and pork mixture. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and chill it for at least 20 minutes.
• For the sauce, mix the cornstarch and water. Place all the ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce, except the cornstarch mixture and chili in a pan. Bring to a boil, stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the chili flakes. Let cool and set aside.
• When you are ready to stuff the dumplings, put 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each spring roll skin. Dampen the edges with a little water and bring up the sides of the skin around the filling. Pinch the edges together at the top so the dumpling looks like a small, filled bag. Tie with a green onion. Continue, to use up all the filling.
• Heat a wok over high heat. Add the oil and, when it is moderately hot, add a handful of dumplings and deep-fry for 3 minutes until golden and crispy. If the oil gets too hot, turn the heat down slightly. Drain on paper towels and fry the remaining dumplings. Serve immediately with the sweet and sour sauce.

CHICKEN AND LEEK CORNISH TURNOVER

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• For the filling: Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Cook the leeks until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots, mushrooms, potato, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir frequently until the vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes.
• For the sauce: Melt the butter over medium heat in a 1-quart saucepan. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Combine the vegetable mixture, sauce and chicken in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cool the filling completely, about 20 minutes.
• Roll out the pastry into a 10-by-10-inch square on a lightly floured surface. Transfer the pastry to the prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg using a pastry brush. Spoon the filling onto one side of the pastry. Fold the pastry over to encase the filling. Fold and crimp the edges of the pastry together to seal the filling. Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg. Cut a 1/2-inch-long slit in the top of the pie using a paring knife.
• Bake until puffed and golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes and slice into 4 pieces.

SMOKED SALMON BEGGARS PURSES

Steps:

• Split leek in half lengthwise. Rinse under cold water to remove any dirt, remove the white bottom end and peel the layers apart. Fill a large bowl with ice water.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the leeks to the boiling water and cook for about 20 seconds, remove and plunge into the ice water to cool. Remove leeks to a tray lined with a paper towel to dry. When dry cut each leek layer lengthwise in strips about 1/8-inch thick and reserve.
• In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, salt and pepper. In another small bowl whisk together the eggs and milk until well combined. Add the milk mixture to the dry mixture, whisking to prevent lumps, being careful not to overwork. In a small saute pan melt the butter until lightly browned and mix into the batter along with the chopped chives. Let batter rest while you make the filling.
• In a medium mixing bowl combine all of the ingredients for the filling, folding salmon in last and mix until just combined.
• Melt a small amount of the butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 ounces, about 1/4 cup, of the crepe batter to the hot skillet. Remove from the heat and tilt slightly to coat the entire pan evenly with batter. Return to the heat and cook until lightly browned on the bottom side, about 50 to 60 seconds. Using your fingertips or a rubber spatula, carefully turn the crepes over and cook on the second side for 10 to 15 seconds. Set the cooked crepe aside on a baking sheet to cool and repeat this process with the remaining batter. Should make 8 crepes.
• When the crepes are cool lay out on a flat surface and with a spoon place some of the smoked salmon mixture in the center dividing evenly among the crepes. Pull the crepe together to form a little purse and tie the top of the crepe with one of the blanched leek strips. Serve 1 or 2 per person.

CHICKEN BIRIYANI BEGGARS POUCHES

Steps:

• Mix the cayenne powder, coriander powder and tumeric powder, set aside
• In a clean food processor grind the medium onion, garlic and ginger to a paste
• Dry the chicken well and chop finely, but do not grind ( a couple of pulses in the food processor will do fine
• Heat the oil or ghee in a pan and fry the onion slices to golden and set aside
• Do the same to the cashew nuts and raisins and set aside
• Add the ground paste and dry spice mix to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the chopped chicken
• Cook the chicken in the spice paste for a few minutes, turning it over a few times with a spoon, until it is no longer pink
• Add the green chilies, garam masala, whole cardamom, yoghurt, coriander leaves and salt to taste
• Let the chicken simmer in the sauce until the chicken is cooked and the sauce thickens
• Remove from heat and let cool
• Cut the phyllo sheets in half, so you have 32 squares
• cover the phyllo with plastic wrap and a damp towel while working so it does not dry out
• Place one sheet of phyllo on your work surface
• Brush with a little melted butter, especially the edges
• Place a second sheet on top in the opposite direction to make a cross, brushing this sheet with melted butter as well
• Place two more sheets in the same manner (criss crossing and brushing with butter) on top of the previous sheets of phyllo (you will have 4 layers, criss crossing each other
• Divide chicken mixture into 8 and place 1/8th of mixture into center of one of the layers of phyllo
• Sprinkle 1/8th of the cashews and raisins on top
• Loosen the sheets of phyllo with a flat metal spatula or knife and using your fingers, carefully lift and gather the phyllo (as if making a pouch) encasing the chicken in a bundle with a loose flowing frilly top
• Pinch the gather together and hold for 5 seconds
• This will hold the package closed
• Place each purse on a lightly greased baking sheet and repeat with remaining chicken and phyllo
• Refrigerate until ready to bake (this can be made in advance up to this point)
• When placing the chicken on the sheet pans, leave enough space between the bundles to that they will become crispy on the sides when baked
• Preheat oven to 375*F
• Place the pans with the beggars purses on them into the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, until nicely crispy (do not overcook)
• To serve place one beggars purse on a warm plate, with a dollop of creme fraiche on the side, sprinkling the chopped coriander on for a garnish
• If you wanted, two of these purses could be served as a main course along with a spicy basamati pilaf

WILD MUSHROOM AND LEEK BEGGAR'S PURSES

Steps:

• Split leeks in half lengthwise, leaving root attached. Remove some of the inner layers to use for tying purses; blanch them for 30 seconds in boiling water, refresh in cool water, drain, and set aside.
• Remove green tops and thinly slice leeks. Saute in 1 tablespoon of the oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Do not brown. Remove from pan to a large bowl.
• Add another tablespoon of oil to pan, turn heat to medium high, and add enough mushrooms to cover bottom of pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until just softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan and add to leeks. Repeat until all mushrooms are cooked. If using a variety of mushrooms, cook each type separately.
• Return mushrooms and leeks to pan. Add thyme, salt, pepper, and Madeira or stock, and cook over high heat, stirring, until liquid is reduced to a syrupy consistency. Set aside to cool.
• Unwrap phyllo pastry and unroll flat. Cover completely with damp dish towel to prevent drying out. Lay out a sheet of phyllo and brush it sparingly with melted butter. Repeat until you have three layers. Cut into 4 rectangles. Place 1/3 cup filling in the center of each and gather into a cinched-purse shape. Repeat with remaining filling. (Wrap and refreeze remaining phyllo dough.) Chill purses until firm.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place purses on a baking sheet and bake until evenly golden brown, about 15 minutes. Tie each purse with a leek ribbon and serve hot.

SWEET CHEESE PHYLLO PURSES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Finely crumble the goat cheese with a fork in a medium bowl, then stir in the ricotta. Brush a 12-cup muffin pan with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter; set aside 1 tablespoon melted butter in a small bowl for step 3.
• Use the remaining 6 tablespoons butter for the phyllo sheets: Brush the top of a phyllo sheet all over with butter, then stack 3 more sheets on top, brushing each with butter. Cut the stack in half lengthwise, then crosswise into thirds to make 6 squares. Press each square into a muffin cup. Repeat with the remaining 4 phyllo sheets and melted butter.
• Divide the cheese mixture among the phyllo-lined muffin cups, pressing with a spoon to flatten the filling into the cups. Fold in the phyllo to cover the filling, leaving a little hole in the center to vent steam. Brush the tops of the dough with the reserved 1 tablespoon melted butter. Put the pan on the oven floor and bake until the phyllo purses are dark golden brown on the bottom, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375˚ F; move the muffin pan to the middle oven rack and continue baking until the phyllo is golden brown and crisp on top, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the sugar, water, cardamom and orange zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, occasionally pressing on the cardamom pods with a spoon, until syrupy, about 8 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a liquid measuring cup. Stir in the orange juice.
• Remove the phyllo purses to a platter as soon as they come out of the oven. Spoon about half of the syrup on top. Let sit for a few minutes to soak in the syrup, then top with the pistachios. Drizzle with more syrup and serve warm.

BEGGARS' PURSES

Steps:

• Make crêpe batter:
• Melt butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and set aside 2 tablespoons for cooking crêpes. Continue to cook butter remaining in skillet until it has a nutty fragrance and is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Blend brown butter with remaining crêpeingredients, except chives, in a blender until smooth. Add chives and pulse 1 or 2 times to just combine. Let batter stand 30 minutes.
• Blend brown butter with remaining crêpe ingredients, except chives, in a blender until smooth. Add chives and pulse 1 or 2 times to just combine. Let batter stand 30 minutes.
• Blanch whole chives:
• Blanch chives in a small saucepan of boiling water 10 seconds. Drain and plunge into an ice bath. Pat dry.
• Make crêpes:
• Lightly brush skillet with butter, then heat over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Stir batter. With skillet off heat, add a scant 1/4 cup batter, tilting and rotating skillet to coat bottom. (If batter sets too fast, reduce heat slightly.) Cook until golden around edges, 15 to 30 seconds. Loosen with a heatproof plastic spatula, then flip crêpe over with your fingertips. Cook until underside is set, about 30 seconds. Slide onto a plate. Make more crêpes, brushing skillet with butter and stacking crêpes on plate.
• Assemble purses:
• Top each crêpe, browned side up, with about 1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream and 2 teaspoon caviar. Gather crêpe around filling and tie 1 or 2 blanched chives in a knot to close purse. Trim ends of chives if necessary.