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1 kg Whole Salmon Fillet skinless, boneless
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50 g Sea Salt
-
25 g Demerara Sugar
-
Knob of Butter
-
200 g Spinach blanched, all water squeezed out
-
1 Leek chopped fine
-
1 Echalion shallot chopped fine
-
200 g Cream Cheese
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4 tbsps Fresh Dill chopped fine
-
1 Lemon, juice and zest (unwaxed)
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Pinch of chilli flakes
-
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
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500 g Puff Pastry
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Flour for dusting
-
2 eggs, yolks only, beaten
Melt in your mouth, succulent, crusted salmon covered in a mixture of blanched spinach, sautéed leeks, garlic and shallots mixed with cream cheese, dill, lemon and a hint of chilli then encased in puff pastry... I mean who doesn’t love a bit of flaky, buttery puff pastry??... it’s all then egg washed and baked to golden perfection. What a showstopper this was, it definitely had the wow factor for my table centrepiece!!
I love how this dish is made with such fresh and simple ingredients, the beautiful salmon was a whole fillet and can easily feed 8 people made this way.
METHOD
- Mix the salt and sugar in a bowl, place half of it onto a tray and lay the salmon on top, then sprinkle the rest on top
- Cover and place something heavy on top to weigh it down (I used a really heavy cast iron pan) then place in the fridge overnight
- When you are ready to cook, melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium-to-low heat and cook the leeks, shallots and garlic for about 10 minutes, or until soft, but not coloured, set aside to cool
- Once cooled transfer to a large bowl and add the blanched spinach, cream cheese, fresh dill, lemon juice and zest, mix well. Add salt, pepper and chilli flakes to taste
- Remove the salmon from the fridge and gently rinse it in cold water then dry thoroughly with paper towels
- Heat the oven to 200ºC
- Unroll one of the blocks of pastry and lay it on a large floured baking sheet that has been lined with baking paper
- Trim the pastry into a large fish shape (or not if making a rectangle) making sure to leave about 2.5cm around the border
- Place the salmon fillet on the pastry and spread the salmon cream cheese mix on top the brush the edge of the pastry with a little of the beaten yolk
- Unroll the other pastry, cut into the same fish shape and lay over the filling
- Press the pastry edges together firmly and trim the edges or you can press with a fork to seal
- If making a fish shape you can use the pastry scraps and a sharp knife to make the head, fin, eye and tail decorations
- Brush with more beaten yolk then using a spoon or melon baller create a scale-like effect along the top of the pastry
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden
- Cut into slices and serve with your favourite sides!
Melt in your mouth, succulent, crusted salmon covered in a mixture of blanched spinach, sautéed leeks, garlic and shallots mixed with cream cheese, dill, lemon and a hint of chilli then encased in puff pastry... I mean who doesn’t love a bit of flaky, buttery puff pastry??... it’s all then egg washed and baked to golden perfection. What a showstopper this was, it definitely had the wow factor for my table centrepiece!!
I love how this dish is made with such fresh and simple ingredients, the beautiful salmon was a whole fillet and can easily feed 8 people made this way.
-
1 kg Whole Salmon Fillet skinless, boneless
-
50 g Sea Salt
-
25 g Demerara Sugar
-
Knob of Butter
-
200 g Spinach blanched, all water squeezed out
-
1 Leek chopped fine
-
1 Echalion shallot chopped fine
-
200 g Cream Cheese
-
4 tbsps Fresh Dill chopped fine
-
1 Lemon, juice and zest (unwaxed)
-
Pinch of chilli flakes
-
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
-
500 g Puff Pastry
-
Flour for dusting
-
2 eggs, yolks only, beaten
METHOD
- Mix the salt and sugar in a bowl, place half of it onto a tray and lay the salmon on top, then sprinkle the rest on top
- Cover and place something heavy on top to weigh it down (I used a really heavy cast iron pan) then place in the fridge overnight
- When you are ready to cook, melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium-to-low heat and cook the leeks, shallots and garlic for about 10 minutes, or until soft, but not coloured, set aside to cool
- Once cooled transfer to a large bowl and add the blanched spinach, cream cheese, fresh dill, lemon juice and zest, mix well. Add salt, pepper and chilli flakes to taste
- Remove the salmon from the fridge and gently rinse it in cold water then dry thoroughly with paper towels
- Heat the oven to 200ºC
- Unroll one of the blocks of pastry and lay it on a large floured baking sheet that has been lined with baking paper
- Trim the pastry into a large fish shape (or not if making a rectangle) making sure to leave about 2.5cm around the border
- Place the salmon fillet on the pastry and spread the salmon cream cheese mix on top the brush the edge of the pastry with a little of the beaten yolk
- Unroll the other pastry, cut into the same fish shape and lay over the filling
- Press the pastry edges together firmly and trim the edges or you can press with a fork to seal
- If making a fish shape you can use the pastry scraps and a sharp knife to make the head, fin, eye and tail decorations
- Brush with more beaten yolk then using a spoon or melon baller create a scale-like effect along the top of the pastry
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden
- Cut into slices and serve with your favourite sides!