Salmon Watercress Parcels Recipes

SALMON & WATERCRESS PARCELS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a pan, then stir in oil. Mix together the crème fraîche and lemon zest. Unwrap the pastry and loosely cover with damp kitchen paper. Place a sheet of filo on your work surface, then cut it in half to make 2 squares. Brush 1 square with some butter mix, then top with the other square.
• Divide the salmon into 8 portions, and arrange a portion at one end of the pastry, leaving a 2cm gap around the edges. Scatter over some watercress, crème fraîche and seasoning. Fold up edges to enclose the filling. Repeat for other parcels. Bake or wrap in cling film or freezer bags and freeze.
• To cook straight away, heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Place the parcels on a lightly greased baking sheet, seam side down, and brush with butter mix. Bake for 20-25 mins until the pastry is crisp and salmon cooked through. To cook from frozen, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Place the parcels on a baking sheet and cover with foil. Bake for 35 mins, then remove the foil and increase the temperature to 220C/200C fan/gas 8. Brush with butter mix and bake for 20 mins more until golden. Serve with boiled new potatoes and broccoli.

SOY-GLAZED SALMON WITH WATERCRESS SALAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, 3 teaspoons honey, and orange juice; season glaze with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon glaze, 1 teaspoon honey, vinegar, and oil; set dressing aside.
• Heat broiler, with rack 4 inches from heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Season salmon with salt and pepper and broil 5 minutes. Remove fish from oven, brush with glaze, then broil until opaque throughout, about 2 minutes, brushing with glaze once more.
• Add orange segments, watercress, and onion to dressing and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Divide salad among four plates and top with salmon. Serve immediately.

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 & WATERCRESS SANDWICH

Steps:

• Finely chop the basil leaves and stir into the mayonnaise. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Chill until ready to use.
• Spread a little basil mayonnaise over each slice of bread. Arrange the watercress, cucumber ribbons and flaked salmon over the top of one piece of bread and sandwich with the remaining piece. Press together gently and cut in half to serve.