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This recipe from chef Tommy Shorthouse at Fanny Bay Oysters and Bar takes a classic Wellington dish and adds a West Coast twist thanks to salmon and crab meat subbed in for beef. This rich-and-creamy dish is a one-and-done thanks to an interior spinach wrap serving up a portion of veg, or serve with a fresh side salad for an added bite of greens.
Salmon wellington
2 lb (907 g) salmon filets (pin-boned and skin removed)
1 sheet (10″ x 15″) puff pastry
2 eggs, one whole and one yolk, beaten
4 oz (114 g) Dungeness crab meat (optional)
1 lb (454 g) spinach, lightly blanched and patted dry
3/4 lb (340 g) mushrooms, cooked and finely chopped
1 lb (454 g) large leeks, sliced into half moons, rinsed and cooked until tender
1/4 lb (114 g) fine dry seaweed rehydrated in cold water, coarsely chopped and patted dry
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Pinch Maldon salt
Sauce
2 cups (500 mL) whipping cream
1/2 small bulb fennel, sliced
3/4 cup (180 mL) dry white wine
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 large shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
4 oz (114 g) chives, chopped
2 tbsp (30 mL) capers
Have vegetables and filling for the salmon wellington processed, cooked and cooled before any further steps.
For the sauce, combine wine, whipping cream, sliced fennel, garlic and shallots and reduce by half to flavour and thicken. Once reduced and thickened, strain through a china cap and set aside to heat and serve.
For filling, combine the hydrated and processed seaweed, picked crab meat (if using), cooked and processed mushrooms, chopped parsley, lemon zest, leeks, salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated until assembly.
Rinse spinach in cold water before cooking. Very lightly blanch the spinach leaves in hot water and shock in ice water for 3-5 seconds. Once cool, remove spinach from water and place on paper towel to pull out extra moisture. Set aside to begin building salmon wellington.
Place frozen puff pastry on baking tray lined with parchment paper to temper. Tear off a piece of plastic wrap the same dimensions as puff pastry sheet and place flat on the counter. Spray very lightly with non-stick cooking spray and begin lining with blanched spinach, overlapping so as not to allow any gaps to form.
Place crab-seaweed mixture in an even flat square atop spinach leaves. Place skinned filet of salmon on top of the mixture flesh-side down. Tightly and carefully fold the spinach over the exposed salmon filet in a clockwise manner to create a tightly formed package. Remove the plastic wrap.
Beat the eggs and brush one side of the puff pastry with egg. Reserve remainder of egg for baking. Gently lift and place the salmon-spinach package in the centre of egg-washed puff pastry sheet. Tightly wrap the puff pastry over the salmon while trimming any excess pastry with a pair of kitchen scissors.
Flip the pastry-wrapped salmon over and place back on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with remaining egg wash and lightly spring with sea salt flakes.
Bake on the middle rack at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-23 minutes. Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving/serving. While resting, reheat cream reduction and add capers and chopped chives.
Serves 3-4.