Rissóis Rápidos de Camarão

Before you start

• Freeze them for a quick weeknight meal.

  Once breaded, place the rissóis on a baking sheet in the freezer until solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag. When ready to eat, fry them straight from the freezer—do not thaw them first, or they will become soggy and burst.

Ingredients

• whole milk1 cup
• Knorr Seafood Soup Mix2 tbsp
• unsalted butter2 tbsp
• yellow onion1/2 med
• raw shrimp1/2 lb
• all-purpose flour2 tbsp
• tomato paste1 tbsp
• fresh lemon juice1 tsp
• ground nutmeg1/8 tsp
• hot sauce1/4 tsp
• fresh flat-leaf parsley2 tbsp
• water2 cup
• unsalted butter4 tbsp
• olive oil1 tbsp
• lemon peel1 large
• kosher salt1 tsp
• all-purpose flour2 cup
• large eggs2 large
• fine plain breadcrumbs2 cup
• neutral oil1 qt

Method

1. 01

   Whisk the milk and seafood soup mix until fully dissolved.

   Set this aside. It will provide the deep, long-simmered seafood flavor without hours of stock-making.

2. 02

   Sauté the aromatics and shrimp.

   In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Cook the minced onion until translucent, about 4 minutes, then add the chopped shrimp and cook just until they begin to turn pink.

3. 03

   Create a quick roux to bind the filling.

   Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the shrimp and stir constantly for one minute to cook off the raw taste. Stir in the tomato paste, then gradually pour in the milk mixture, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.

4. 04

   Simmer until the mixture resembles a very thick pudding.

   Lower the heat and add the nutmeg, hot sauce, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. It needs to be significantly thicker than a standard gravy so it stays inside the dough.

5. 05

   Stir in the parsley and let the filling cool completely.

   Transfer the filling to a shallow bowl and place it in the refrigerator. If you place hot filling onto the dough later, the dough will melt, tear, and burst in the fryer.

6. 06

   Boil the water and fat to start the dough.

   In a medium, heavy-bottomed pot, combine the water, 4 tablespoons of butter, olive oil, salt, and the strip of lemon peel. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then use tongs to extract and discard the peel.

7. 07

   Dump the flour into the boiling liquid all at once and stir vigorously.

   Reduce the heat to low. Use a strong wooden spoon to beat the dough. It will look like a mess at first, but within two minutes it will form a cohesive, smooth ball that completely pulls away from the sides and bottom.

8. 08

   Knead the dough while it is still warm.

   Turn the dough out onto a clean counter. Let it sit for a minute just until you can handle it without burning yourself, then knead for about a minute until silky and elastic. Wrap in plastic and rest for 15 minutes.

9. 09

   Roll out the dough and portion the filling.

   Cut the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll it out thinly—but keep it opaque, or it will tear. Place heaping teaspoons of the cooled shrimp filling about an inch from the dough's edge.

10. 10

    Fold the dough and stamp out the turnovers with a drinking glass.

    Fold the edge over the filling to create a half-moon shape, gently pressing out the air. Use a 3-inch drinking glass to stamp out the shape; the dull edge of the glass crimps and seals the dough perfectly.

11. 11

    Bread the rissóis.

    Dip each sealed turnover into the beaten eggs, letting the excess drip off, then toss in the plain breadcrumbs until fully coated.

12. 12

    Fry until deep golden brown.

    Heat 2 inches of neutral oil in a deep skillet to 350°F (180°C). Fry in small batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side, then drain on paper towels and serve warm.

Notes

• Do not skip the Knorr soup packet.

  This is the true secret of the modern Portuguese grandmother. It provides all the necessary umami that traditionally comes from boiling whole shrimp heads for hours.

• Use plain, fine breadcrumbs.

  Avoid Panko or Italian seasoned crumbs. Standard, cheap American breadcrumbs best mimic the fine texture of Portuguese pão ralado.