Puff Pastry Boar Tusk Bracelets - Outlander on STARZ Episode 114
A gift from one good sister to another...but who originally bestowed these beautiful boar tusk bracelets to Ellen Fraser?
Book readers know -- but it's still a mystery to those of you who are only familiar with TV Outlander -- and I'm not going to tell you...unless you want me to.
Those of you who have been around Outlander Kitchen for awhile will have seen these Puff Pastry Boar Tusks before. The recipe has been up for a couple of years -- and when I saw the bracelets on TV last weekend, I couldn't help but congratulate myself for how much mine look like the real things!
I thought it would be fun to revisit this recipe...these things are delicious! They need few ingredients, and, although a little fiddly, they're pretty easy to put together, especially after the first couple.
In fact, I put these together with absolutely no kitchen left at all...
(My new Outlander Kitchen should be installed by the end of next week. Good thing I have cocktails planned for Episode 115 - they don't require a kitchen either.)
Puff Pastry Boar Tusks w/ Prosciutto & Asparagus
Buttery and bacony appetizers inspired by Ellen Fraser’s boar tusk bracelets, passed on to Claire by Jenny.
Yield: 12 Boar Tusk Bracelets
Ingredients:
- Egg - 1
- Prosciutto or Bacon - 12 slices
- Puff Pastry, thawed but still cold - 1 pkg
- Asparagus - 24 tips (about 2” long)
- Parmesan Cheese, shredded - ¼ Cup
Method:
Preheat the oven to 425° F.
Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water to make an egg wash. Line two baking sheets with parchment or a silpat (silicone liner). Cut the prosciutto or bacon slices in half lengthwise, so that you have 24 narrow strips.
On a lightly floured counter, roll out the puff pastry to a rectangle measuring about 8” x 12” and ?” thick. Use a sharp knife to cut the pastry into (12) 1” wide strips. The cleaner the cuts, the more evenly the pastry will puff.
Brush 2 or 3 strips with the egg wash on BOTH sides. Cover the remaining strips with plastic wrap to prevent drying.
Holding an asparagus tip on to one end of a pastry strip, wrap the prosciutto/bacon around both, securing the asparagus to the pastry. Repeat on the other end with another asparagus tip and bacon strip.
Handling it gently, twist the pastry ends into spirals, then lay it on the prepared baking sheet in a horseshoe shape, with the asparagus tips pointing towards the middle. Cover with plastic wrap and repeat for the 12 other tusks.
Dab the tusks with a little extra egg wash, sprinkle with grated parmesan and bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Rotate and turn the pan at 8 minutes, reshaping the tusks if necessary. Work quickly to get the oven door closed ASAP.
Cool on a rack and serve soon after baking. Re-crisp in the oven if necessary.
Ith gu leòir! (Eat Plenty)
- The warmer puff pastry dough gets, the trickier it becomes to handle. If things are getting slippery, cover everything with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
- The tusks can be prepared in the morning, wrapped well, and stay in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake them that evening.
- Easier, and almost as tasty, is to spiral bacon or prosciutto around straight strips of puff pastry to make Bacon Sticks (below).
- The prosciutto becomes crispy and extra saltilicious, while the bacon fat contributes a different, but equally delicious flavour. I made half and half, which seemed to go down well around here.
