Salmon Fennel En Croute With Watercress Sauce Recipes

SALMON & FENNEL EN CROUTE WITH WATERCRESS SAUCE

Steps:

• Fry the fennel and onion in the butter for 5 mins. Add the garlic, fry for 5 mins more until the veg is soft, then stir in the watercress.
• Cut the pastry into 4 pieces, then roll each piece to approx 22cm square. Spoon a quarter of the veg onto one half of each piece of pastry and spread to approx the shape of the salmon fillet. Put the fish on top, then brush round the pastry with egg, fold over and seal. Trim the pastry to make 4 parcels, then decorate with the trimmings.
• For the sauce, whizz all but 4 sprigs of watercress with the crème fraîche and seasoning. Heat until bubbling when ready to eat. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Brush the parcels with egg, then bake for 15 mins until golden. Serve parcels on a pool of sauce, garnished with the reserved watercress. Serve with new potatoes and green beans or salad.

THE ULTIMATE MAKEOVER: SALMON EN CROûTE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Tip in the shallots and fry for 2-3 mins to soften, then add the mushrooms and garlic, and stir-fry over a high heat for another 3-4 mins, or until the mushrooms and shallots are golden and any liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Pour in the lemon juice - after a few seconds, that should have evaporated too. Remove from the heat, then stir in the watercress so it wilts in the warmth from the pan (see step 1). Stir in the dill and chives, and season with a little salt and pepper. Leave to cool.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. When the mushroom mix is cool, stir in the crème fraîche. Lay one of the filo sheets on the worktop with the short end facing you. Brush all over with a little of the remaining oil. Layer up 4 more of the filo sheets in the same way, brushing each with a little of the oil.
• Lay one of the salmon fillets, skin-side up, across the width of the filo, positioning it about one-third of the way up. Season it with pepper. Spoon and spread the cooled mushroom mix over the top of the fillet (see step 2). Lay the other salmon fillet on top, skin-side down. Season again. Fold the short end of pastry nearest to you over the salmon, then bring the other end over to completely enclose the salmon (see step 3), lifting it so the join can tuck under it. Fold both pastry ends over as neatly as you can.
• Brush the outside with a bit more of the remaining oil. Scrunch up the last sheet of filo, pressing it lightly on top in big folds (see step 4), then carefully brush with the last of the oil. Can be prepared 3-4 hrs ahead up to this point and chilled. Transfer the salmon parcel to the baking sheet. Bake for 25 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden. Check while it cooks and if the top starts to brown too quickly, lay a sheet of foil very loosely over it. Remove from the oven and let the salmon sit for 2-3 mins before slicing.

SALMON EN CROUTE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and 1 teaspoon garlic; cook and stir until mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer onion and mushroom mixture to a small bowl.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet. Add remaining 1 teaspoon garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add spinach; cook and stir until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to another bowl.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a glass baking dish with parchment paper.
• Dust work surface with flour. Lay 1 puff pastry sheet out on work surface. Spread onion and mushroom mixture evenly across pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Center salmon on top. Sprinkle paprika over salmon and top with wilted spinach. Cover with second puff pastry sheet. Fold over and crimp edges to seal. Brush top with beaten egg. Transfer to baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pastry is golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove and let stand for 5 minutes. Slice into 4 portions.
• Whisk mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and dill together in a small bowl. Spoon sauce onto 4 plates and place a piece of salmon on each.

SALMON EN CROUTE WITH WATERCRESS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Place watercress in a sieve, pour boiling water over to wilt it, and drain on paper towels. Combine wilted watercress with lemon zest in a small bowl. Mix cream cheese, garlic, dill, and parsley together in a separate bowl.
• Roll out 2 puff pastry sheets gently on a work surface until slightly larger than length of salmon fillets; cut sheets in half. Place 1/2 watercress mixture in center of each sheet. Spread 1/2 cream cheese mixture over watercress. Center salmon fillets on top of cream cheese mixture; squeeze lemon juice over each.
• Brush the edges of the pastry with some of the egg. Fold top and bottom of pastry over the salmon; trim edges to remove excess pastry. Press pastry seams together with your fingers to seal. Transfer wrapped fillets, seam-side down, to baking sheet. Brush top with beaten egg.
• Bake in preheated oven until pastry is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.