Salmon week challenge: Salmon Wellington

Every now and again Hugo and I decide to lead a real student's life. Sometimes it comes through baked beans on toast and sometime we buy a massive discounted Salmon and eat it for a week. As you do.

I can usually do about 3 meals for the two of us, and by the third one it does feel like you will not want to have salmon for a long while. That is why every time we get one I try to make it different and interesting.

Two weeks ago we got our salmon and I was searching for a nice mediterranean recipe with some fresh ingredients, something nice and light - I really didn't want to admit that the winter is just around the corner. This silly belief encouraged me to disagree with Hugo's suggestion - salmon wellington - a cosy warming dish. I did have to apologise a few times for this disapproval... It turned out fantastic!

The recipe is adapted from Step By Step Baking by Caroline Bretherton. This recipe makes a little one for 2 people:

ready made puff pastry

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup fresh spinach

a few stalks of watercress

skinless salmon fillet (enough for 2 people - depending on how hungry you are)

egg wash (1 beaten egg with a drop of milk)

for the sour cream - dill sauce:

1 cup sour cream

a bunch of fresh dill

zest of 1/2 lemon

salt

pepper

Preheat the oven to 200C, finely chop the spinach and the watercress and mix with the sour cream. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Cut the salmon fillet into 2 pieces. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of around 3mm. It should be a little longer than the salmon pieces and over twice as wide. Transfer it to a baking tray with some tin foil on the bottom (saves washing up!). Place one piece of salmon in the middle of the pastry. Spread the top with the spinach cream and place the other piece of salmon on top. Pour the rest of the spinach cream on top, then lightly brush the pastry edges with water, fold both the ends over the salmon. Fold in the sides so they overlap slightly and press together to seal. Re-roll the trimmings and use to decorate. Brush with the egg wash and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

You can test whether whether the salmon is cooked by pushing a skewer halfway through the thickest part and leaving it for 4-5 seconds - when removed it should feel hot.

While the wellington is baking you can make the sauce by chopping the fresh dill and mixing it with the sour cream, lemon zest and seasoning. 

Bon Appetite!