Cooking Corner Salmon Wellington / En Croute

It was time to use up some Salmon pieces and Puff Pastry hiding in the freezer. So Salmon Wellington sounds good. I buy whole pieces of fresh Salmon, cut up 6 oz filets, and freeze the odd shaped bits for recipes like Wellington or Salmon Mousse. I use a vacuum sealer so as to keep food frozen for 3 months or so.

Beef Wellington is the famous one, made with Filet Mignon and Mushroom Duxelle. In the olden days people were looking for substitute proteins, hence Salmon Wellington. Beef was crazy expensive then, just like it is now. Mushrooms just sound wrong, so we’ll use a Cheese and Spinach filling with the Salmon. The French would call it “en croute” – in pastry. I simply call it delicious and make everyone happy.

Portions: You can make this as individual portions or as I am doing, one large piece that will be sliced for individual portions.

This recipe is 6 to 8 portions depending on how thick you cut the slices.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp unsalted Butter

3 medium Shallots, or white Onion finely chopped.

2 minced garlic buds – more if you like

½ Cup White Wine

Spinach – a big handful and more – this will reduce so use lots if you like it

2 Tbsp shredded Parmesan Cheese

150 g Cream Cheese

Zest of one Lemon – use a micro planer or fine grater

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp chopped fresh Dill or half that much dried

Salmon – I had 20 oz and that was plenty with the heavy sauce – I used about 1 ½ inches thick, 3 inches wide, 8 inches long. Approximately. Do what looks right for you.

1 Sheet Puff Pastry

1 Egg and 2 oz Milk for basting is what I used. – Basting hmmmm…Whole egg and milk is what Mom always used. Egg yolk only and milk or cream will give you more colour. Whole egg and a bit of water will work too.

Salt and Pepper to taste as always.

Method:

1. Heat a medium Sauce Pan and add Butter. When hot, add Shallots. Cook until Onions are translucent. I cook at Medium heat 5 out of 10 on my stove top. Patience.

2. Onions done, add Garlic, wait until it heats and begins to release fragrance. Don’t let I brown / burn.

3. Add White Wine and allow to come to heat. The alcohol will burn off as you cook. Alcohol does not burn off 100%. Don’t want to use alcohol, use Veggie stock.

4. Add Spinach and allow it wilt into the sauce. As the Spinach is wilting, add Lemon Zest, Dill & Mustard. Mix.

5. Add Parmesan and Cream Cheese, melt & combine.

6. Salt and Pepper to taste – the sauce is done . You need to let it cool to room temperature. It will thicken as it cools.

7. On a clean dry surface spread flour and place the Puff Pastry on top. Flour is your friend. Put some flour on top as well. Use your rolling pin to even it out and make it the right size. As you are rolling you can flip it over a couple of times and keep up with the flour as necessary. You don’t want it sticking to anything. Take a look at the size of Salmon and Sauce you need to wrap and make sure the Pastry is bigger than you think you need. Cut off a couple of strips from a side for decoration. I buy Puff Pastry at the local store – frozen. Allow it to thaw but remain cold in the fridge. Warm Puff Pastry will melt and be hard to work with. Handle with care.

8. In a bowl mix 1 Egg and Milk for Glaze / Basting.

9. Place the Salmon in the centre of the Pastry. If you have one big piece, great. I didn’t. I had pieces that I piled into a rectangle. I doesn’t matter that it’s one piece or many once cooked. You’ll see. Spoon the Sauce over the Salmon. Fold one side of Pastry over top. Baste the pastry where the other side will overlap. The Egg Mixture acts like a glue to keep It sealed. Now you fold the Ends, again basting where they overlap.

10. Flip over and place on a greased Baking Sheet. Or maybe best to use Parchment Paper or Tin Foil on the baking sheet. I use a silicon baking sheet. Heavily Baste every bit of the Pastry and it will turn out nicely glazed. I take the strips and place them diagonally across the whole thing. See pic. Then Egg wash the strips.

11. Cook in preheated 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. Take an internal temperature. Fish needs to be 140 degrees. Much more than that and it will dry out. The beauty of this dish is it’s sealed in pastry. Stays moist. Still 25 minutes should be sufficient.

12. Slide the Pastry onto a cutting board, slice, serve and enjoy.

You can make this even a day ahead. So, when entertaining I make it before everyone arrives. Time to eat – egg wash last minute - into the oven no fuss no muss.

You have extra? This reheats practically as good as the original. Not for freezing. This recipe may sound difficult. It’s not. Worth every minute spent. Presentation is impressive.

Between us, I like the end pieces, more pastry. Yummmmmm