Pastry-Wrapped Baked Brie with Truffled Crabmeat Filling

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 4 ounces wild mushrooms, stems removed, wiped clean and roughly chopped
• 1 cup lump crabmeat (about 1/3 pound), picked over for cartilage and shells
• 1/2 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch cayenne
• 2 tablespoons minced green onions
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon truffle oil
• 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
• 1 (1-pound) round Brie cheese
• 1 large egg, beaten with 2 teaspoons water for egg wash
• 1 bunch watercress, tough stems removed, rinsed and spun dry
• Toast points, crackers, or croutons, accompaniment

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until they give off their liquid and start to color, about 4 minutes. Add the crabmeat, Essence, salt, and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the green onions and parsley and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the truffle oil. Let cool and fold in the goat cheese. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

Roll out each sheet of pastry slightly, and cut each piece into a round 1-inch larger than the Brie. Using a paring knife, cut several leaves or other decorative shapes from the pastry scraps. Place 1 piece of pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Cut the Brie in 1/2 horizontally and lay 1 piece in the center of the pastry sheet, cut side up. Spread the cooled crabmeat mixture over the cut Brie and top with the remaining Brie 1/2, gently pushing the 2 halves together.

Paint the edges of the bottom piece of pastry with the egg wash. Top the cheese with the remaining pastry sheet, pinching the edges together to seal. Paint the top pastry lightly with the egg wash, being careful not to let any drip down the sides. Arrange the decorative leaves on top, and lightly paint with egg wash. Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Line a platter with the watercress and place the baked brie on top. Let sit for 5 minutes. Surround with toast points and serve.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.