Mains
French
FrenchSalmon en Croute
Salmon baked in pastry, a dinner-party showstopper. Tiers rise from a simple cream-cheese parcel to wild salmon with a spinach and dill duxelles in all-butter puff.
Nut-free
Contains alcohol
Ultimate version
Wild salmon with a mushroom and dill duxelles wrapped in all-butter puff with a brandy-laced cream.
Per serving£12.00
Total cost£24.00
Time1 hr 5 min
Ingredients for 2
- 2 wild salmon fillets , skinless, even thickness
- 320 g all-butter puff pastry
- 1 egg yolk , beaten with a splash of milk
- flaky sea salt and white pepper , to taste
- Duxelles
- 250 g chestnut mushrooms , finely chopped
- 1 banana shallot , finely diced
- 30 ml brandy
- 50 ml double cream
- 15 g fresh dill , chopped
- 100 g baby spinach
Method
- Cook the shallot and mushrooms gently until dry, add the brandy and reduce, then the cream and dill to a thick duxelles; cool.
- Wilt and drain the spinach, then layer it onto each salmon fillet followed by the cooled duxelles.
- Roll the all-butter pastry, wrap each fillet neatly and seal, trimming and decorating with offcuts.
- Glaze twice with the egg yolk wash and score a fine herringbone pattern into the top.
- Rest the parcels in the fridge for 20 minutes for crisp pastry.
- Bake at 200C for 28 to 30 minutes until lacquered and golden, then rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Equipment
- frying pan
- baking tray
- rolling pin
The three ways, side by side
Budget
Salmon fillets and soft cheese wrapped in ready-rolled puff pastry.
Better
Salmon with a garlicky spinach layer and lemon-herb cream cheese in puff pastry.
Ultimate
Wild salmon with a mushroom and dill duxelles wrapped in all-butter puff with a brandy-laced cream.
