Cheers, friends! We have made it to Wine Wednesday which means we are halfway through the cray cray work week! Today I'm sharing a slightly fancy (but not hard to make!) seafood appetizer recipe that will impress your guests. My Crab Puffs with Mushroom Stuffed Pastry Appetizers pair perfectly with a new-to-me wine.
When I get the opportunity to learn more about a varietal that is new to me from a wine region that I don't know too much about, I get really super excited. And, I think you will be just as excited to try these Crios wines from Argentina – as well as my accompanying Crab and Mushroom Stuffed Pastry Appetizers!
Crios Wines
In sultry, sexy Argentina, winemaker Susana Balbo is hard at work running Crios Wines.
In Spanish, Crios means "offspring," and Crios is definitely a business that is all in the family. Susana's children, son José and daughter Ana, are key players in the family business.
Crios Torrontés
The five main varietals of Crios wines are harvested from specific areas in Mendoza and Salta in Argentina, where grapes are optimal for the fruit-forward style of Crios. Crios makes a Red Blend, Malbec, Rosé of Malbec, and Cabernet Sauvignon, in addition to the Torrontés. I write so much about red wines, especially this time of year, that I wanted to highlight an accessible white wine that might be good for upcoming holidays.
The Crios Torronés fit the bill.
Each Crios wine carries an inspirational message that also represents either a milestone in Susana’s personal and professional life, or the story about how the wine was made. With Torrontés, Susana Balbo looked to break the mold, challenge the rules, and she transformed Torrontés from a common Argentinian blending grape to Argentina’s star white wine.
If you like a sweeter, floral and fruity white wine, you will love the Crios Torrontés.
Defined by its lively, bright floral notes and citrus notes of pear and ripe peach, this fruit-forward white wine pairs incredibly well with seafood.
Crab Puffs and Mushroom Stuffed Pastry Appetizers Recipe
To help complement the bold fruity flavors of Crios Torrontés wine, I created this recipe for Crab and Mushroom Stuffed Pastry Appetizers.
I am going to confess: this recipe was a bit more ambitious than I had planned. The first part of this recipe is a breeze for home cooks of all levels; but if you have experience working with phyllo dough, the last part of recipe also will be a breeze.
On the other hand, if you're like me, and you love phyllo dough but you're not used to working with the ultra thin flat sheets of miracle dough on a regular basis, you might want to set aside extra time for the last part of the recipe.
Or, use my favorite magic pre-made bakery item: puff pastry.
Either way, these appetizers are absolutely delicious, especially when paired with the Crios Torrontés white wine! I'd serve these as appetizers at a girls' night in, a holiday party, or as a main dish for any family dinner.
You can use fresh crab, as I did in the photo above, or imitation crab. Either works, in my opinion, and it's all a matter of taste and texture preference.
The filling is a simple filling, consisting of crab meat, mushrooms, green onions, garlic, dill, and lemon juice, cooked in Crios Torrontés wine and butter. 
I recommend serving these Crab and Mushroom Triangles with tartar sauce. 
My crazy amateur phyllo dough-making attempts resulted in about 15 medium to large sized stuffed puff pastries. You could also make the triangles smaller and make more of these.
I love how the crab and mushroom triangles pair with the Crios Torrontés. I'm not normally a sweet white wine drinker, but the Torrontés is a nice balance between sweet and fruity and crisp and clean. It balances well with the complex flavors of the salty-ocean crab and the earthy mushrooms in the Crab and Mushroom Triangles.
Where to Find Crios Wines
You can purchase Crios wines online, or at several large grocery stores around the United States. Most Crios wines retail for around $12 to $15 per bottle.
Crab Puffs & Mushroom Stuffed Pastry Appetizers
Ingredients
- One 16 ounce package of phyllo dough OR puff pastry thawed
- 6 ounces crab meat
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup chopped shiitake mushrooms
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions
- ¼ cup Crios Torronés white wine
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh dill
- lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add shiitake mushrooms and sauté until softened, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and finely chopped green onions. Sauté another minute or two, until the garlic and green onions are softened.
- Slowly add white wine to pan. Stir ingredients and gently scrap any mushroom, garlic, or onion bits sticking to the pan.
- Add crab meat and dill. Stir all ingredients until well blended and the crab is heated through, just 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Prepare phyllo dough. Gently remove from package and lay out onto a large surface. Follow these directions as to how to fill and prepare the phyllo dough. I used about a tablespoon of the crab and mushroom filling per phyllo dough triangle, set approximately 2 inches from the corner of each phyllo dough sheet before folding into triangles.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until the edges of each triangle are golden brown. Be sure to watch the oven carefully the last 5 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- Optional: Serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
courtney says
This sounds absolutely delicious. I'ver never used phyllo and have a feeling it would be tricky for me...but the wine part I can take care of no problem! Thanks for sharing :)
Raz says
Hmmm... the crab and mushroom puff pastry looks so delicious. I both love crab & mushroom.
Dee Dee (My Midlife Kitchen) says
I am a fan of both the wine AND the food in this post! I have had Torrontes, and it is a lovely wine. So great on a hot day--which we have a lot of here in Texas! And these little appetizers look like heaven in a triangle pocket. I have to make them SOON!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
I imagine Torrontes would be a fantastic wine to enjoy on a hot Texas day! Cheers, Dee Dee!
Kelley says
Wow, is is really as clear as it looks in the glass? I've never seen a white wine that looked like that!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
It is! It's a light white that definitely skews more on the cool hue side of the scale versus the warm golden yellows or apricot colors like Chardonnays or Pinot Gris.
Dawne says
this looks so good, perfect for Fall
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Thanks, Dawne!
Elena says
Yum! I love the combination of crab, cream, and phyllo dough. Does it get better than that?
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Thanks so much, Elena!
Des @ Life's Ambrosia says
Oooooh I would so make this and have my own little happy hour at home!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
I like how you think, Des! Cheers! :)
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago says
I love crab and these sound delicious! I'm always looking to try new wines, so will have to check this one out.
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Thanks, Kathryn! The Crios wines are really great overall. I think they'd make excellent wines for the upcoming holidays.
Melinda says
I am definitely going to go on a search for Crios! It looks delectable!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
It's great if you like a sweet white wine, and the price is fantastic for the quality of wine!
Melissa says
That looks super delicious!!!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Thank you, Melissa!
Amy @ Accidental Happy Baker says
Oh, this makes me ready to host a girls night out soon! I want it all, the wine, the crab and mushroom triangles, a night away from my kids...
Cyra says
Puff pastry is such a bastard. But this reminds me of crab rangoon!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
LOL - it is, isn't it? Why does phyllo dough have to be so delicate?
Erin @ Platings and Pairings says
These look SO good - What a great use of fresh crab!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Thanks, Erin! I may or may not have snuck a spoonful of the filling on its own while cooking... fresh crab is so good! :)
Kristyn says
Those look delicious!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Thank you, Kristyn!