Seafood Newburg

This recipe is saved for the holidays or special occasions at my house. The rich sherry-cream sauce blankets this elegant combination of delicately flavored seafood and vegetables. I really love the individual presentation with the puff pastry shells. For starters or normal-sized appetites, one is enough, but for my DS and what used to be my husband, now my ex, 2 or 3 was a serving for them. So it is hard to state a serving size....I'd say between 6 and 10 depending on appetite sizes.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Yields: 10 shells

Ingredients

• 10  frozen puff pastry shells
• 1  lb medium shrimp
• 3  tablespoons butter
• 1  lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4  cups half-and-half
• 1  teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1⁄8 teaspoon pepper
• 1  lb scallops, fresh bay scallops (the small ones)
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen English peas, thawed
• 1⁄3 lb  crabmeat, picked and drained (may substitute 6 oz frozen crabmeat, thawed and drained)
• 1⁄4 cup dry sherry
• 3⁄4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (3 oz)
• 1 (4 ounce) jar  chopped pimentos, drained
•  paprika

Directions

1. Bake the pastry shells according to the package directions; set aside, and keep warm.
2. Peel and devein shrimp, set aside.
3. Melt 3 tbsp butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add mushrooms, and saute, stirring constantly, until tender. Remove the mushrooms from the Dutch oven with a slotted spoon; set mushrooms aside.
4. Melt the remaining 1/4 cup butter in the Dutch oven over low heat. Add the flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
5. Gradually add the half and half; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in salt, if desired. Add the pepper.
6. Add the reserved shrimp, reserved mushrooms, scallops, peas, crabmeat and sherry. Stir gently. Cook, uncovered for 10 minutes or until the shrimp turns pink and the scallops are opaque.
7. Stir in the cheese and pimento. Cook just until the cheese melts and the mixture is thoroughly heated, stirring frequently.
8. Place the warm pastry shells on a serving platter. Spoon seafood mixture evenly into the shells, and sprinkle lightly with paprika. Serve immediately.