This impressive en croute has the perfect mix of succulent salmon, a rich cheese and spinach sauce, and a golden pastry exterior. Perfect and this would make a great alternative to traditional roast dinner in the summer.
Ingredients
PASTRY
- 2 sheets of puff pastry
- 700g of salmon fillet, skinless and boneless
- 2 egg yolks, beaten, to glaze
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
CHEESE AND SPINACH SAUCE
- 600ml of milk
- 50g of butter
- 100g of plain flour
- 150g of cheddar, grated (or a similar hard cheese)
- 200g of baby spinach leaves, roughly 2 bags
- 60g of pine nuts
- 1 garlic clove, crushed or grated
- olive oil
Preparation
- Start by making a thick cheese sauce. Add the butter, flour and milk to a heavy-based saucepan and whisk together over a medium heat, then continue whisking as the sauce heats through, making sure to scrape down the sides
– 50g of butter
– 100g of plain flour
– 600ml of milk - Allow to boil for 2–3 minutes to cook off the flour, whisking all the time. Mix in the grated cheese until smooth, then set aside
– 150g of cheddar, grated - In another pan, heat a little olive oil until it begins to smoke, then add the spinach and stir until wilted. Drain immediately to remove any excess liquid, then stir the cooked spinach into the cheese sauce, along with the pine nuts and garlic
– olive oil
– 200g of baby spinach leaves, roughly 2 bags
– 60g of pine nuts
– 1 garlic clove, crushed or grated - Stir to combine, then allow to cool (this mixture will keep in the fridge until ready to assemble and bake)
- On a cutting board, smooth out the sheet of puff pastry. Place the salmon in the middle of the pastry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
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Place several spoonfuls of the spinach mixture on top of the salmon, smoothing it out so that it does not spill over the sides.
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Fold the edges of the puff pastry over the salmon and spinach, starting with the longer sides and then the shorter ends. Trim any excess pastry from the ends, then fold the ends on top.
- Flip the puff pastry-wrapped salmon over and transfer for a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
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Brush the beaten egg on the top and sides of the pastry. Score the top of the pastry with a knife, cutting shallow diagonal lines to create a crosshatch pattern.
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Brush the top again with the egg wash.
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Bake for 20-25 minutes, until pastry is golden brown.
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Slice, then serve!