As the day’s close up closer to our home’s interior work getting done, plus the prospect of NO COOKING for a couple of weeks, I have been cutting loose on occasion. Tonight, an ordinary Wednesday, and despite the need to head upstairs and put things in boxes, fill out the closet, tidy up errant piles of ‘things’ and etc., I opted to try my hand at making Salmon Wellington.
Typically the filling is a nice cut of beef cooked to tender rare, but for tonight, I opted to use salmon. But what sort of filling? Leeks, cucumber…these veggies presented themselves for my consideration but ultimately it was a simple little box of frozen spinach that worked best tonight.
While at work I placed one in a plastic bag and allowed it to defrost throughout the day at room temperature, then when work let out for me I got a few ingredients like dill weed (dried), a fresh packet of puff pastry, and of course a nice fillet of salmon.
By the time I had gotten home, the puff pastry had defrosted adequately and I started by putting together the mix of dijon mustard, mayonnaise, dill weed, oregano, fresh basil, and thyme. Mixed it all in a bowl and set it aside.
I laid out the puff pastry and lay out the spinach (well drained and dry as much as possible) and spread the dijon/mayo/herbal mixture over the one side of the salmon and placed it on the puff pastry. I then repeated on the other side, layering the dijon mixture on the salmon, followed by more spinach, and a light spread of crumbled feta cheese.
I then took the now defrosted puff pastry and wrapped it around the salmon and its layers, first along the sides then folding in from the ends. I pressed the seams as tight as I could, flipped it over onto a pan lined with a Silpat, and brushed it with egg white and made a few slashes for steam to escape.
Then it was about 40 or so minutes in the oven till the puff pastry browned nicely. And yes, it surely did!
But looks are only half the fight–how would it taste? Would the salmon be cooked through? Would there be any nasty leaks? Did I make enough vent holes?
As for taste, a total success. The crusty pastry shell, the moist salmon, the rich and mustardy sauce with spinach…very tasty! On the side I steamed some broccoli with a dust of salt, and along with the French white wine… A very nice evening dinner before we had to pop upstairs to continue packing.
Sometimes I can’t believe what I’m capable of…not to toot my horn so much, but I’m getting very good and capable–gotten capable.
I had a bit of puff pastry left so I rolled it out a bit and spread a bit of Nutella and some chocolate bits on it, wrapped it up tight, and used the same egg white wash on the dessert as on the Salmon Wellington dish.
I’ll let you know how that turned out another day.
Don't Call Me Chef!! 