By Jan D’atri
Wellington was always the elegant “signature dish” reserved for special occasions like weddings or a New Year’s Eve celebration. Beef or salmon Wellington with its beautiful puff pastry encasement was truly the fine-dining darling of the 1960s.
But take away the fête factor, and you have a fabulous weeknight or Sunday supper that turns a fresh piece of salmon into something really wonderful – especially if you give it a quick grill before enrobing it with dough. This recipe also included the ingredients for a classic duxelles – that magical blend of butter, garlic, shallot and finely chopped mushrooms. That’s the second layer of deliciousness. The third is a layer of fresh, tender baby spinach. Slice through the layers of delicate puff pastry and enjoy the show!
Salmon Wellies
Ingredients:
– 4 pieces fresh salmon (about 4-5 oz.)
– 4 tablespoons olive oil
– 1 package puff pastry sheets (thawed in
refrigerator overnight)
– 2 cups fresh baby spinach
– 1 recipe for duxelles
– Salt and pepper to taste
– Egg wash (2 egg yolks plus 2 tablespoons
milk)
– Creamy dill sauce
Fox Duxelles
Ingredients:
– 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
– 1/4 cup finely chopped shallot (about
2-3 large)
– 1 large garlic clove, minced fine
– 1 pound white or cremini mushrooms,
chopped very fine
– 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Drizzle each piece of salmon with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat grill pan and grill salmon on both sides for about 2 minutes. Remove skin and set aside.
Make duxelles. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic; cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, cooking until mushrooms have softened and released their liquid, about 4-5 minutes. Cook until liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes more. Stir in parsley, salt and pepper. Let cool.
To Assemble:
Cut puff pastry into 5-inch squares, or large enough to cover the piece of salmon. Roll out a bit to thin out dough. Lay a piece of salmon on dough. Spoon duxelles over the top of the salmon piece, covering the salmon entirely. (Duxelles recipe should be divided between four pieces of salmon.) Top with several layers of fresh baby spinach. Cover the salmon with puff pastry. Tuck in the sides and turn seam side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush egg wash over the dough. (For added touch, use a strip of dough to make decorative leave cut outs for the top.)
Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes or until dough is golden brown.
Serve with dollop of creamy dill sauce on the side. Serves four. Watch my how-to video at jandatri.com/recipe/salmon-wellies/.
Creamy Dill Sauce
Ingredients:
– 3/4 cup sour cream
– 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
– 1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
– 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or
1 teaspoon dried dill, crushed
Directions:
Mix sour cream, mustard, lemon juice and dill together. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
