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Salmon En Croute

Salmon En Croute

This Salmon En Croute transforms ordinary salmon into an impressive French masterpiece wrapped in buttery puff pastry. With a creamy herb filling and flaky golden crust, it's deceptively simple to make yet guaranteed to wow dinner guests – no Cordon Bleu training required!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine French
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Rolling Pin
  • Sharp knife
  • Pastry brush
  • Food processor (optional but helpful)
  • Kitchen thermometer (recommended)

Ingredients
  

  • 1 puff pastry about 14 oz, frozen, thawed (all-butter if you can find it)
  • 1.5 pounds center-cut salmon fillet skin removed (about 1-inch thick throughout)
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chives chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 4 oz fresh spinach leaves about 2 cups
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Optional: 2 oz smoked salmon chopped

Instructions
 

  • Prep your workspace. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour yourself that glass of wine I mentioned earlier – cooking is more fun with refreshments.
  • Get that spinach ready. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add spinach and a pinch of salt, cooking just until wilted (about 1-2 minutes). Transfer to a colander and press out excess moisture when cool. Chop roughly and set aside. Nobody wants soggy pastry from wet spinach – that's a culinary crime.
  • Make the creamy herb filling. In a bowl, mix cream cheese, dill, chives, lemon zest, garlic, and chopped spinach until combined. If using smoked salmon, fold it in now for an extra flavor bomb. This mixture is about to become the best thing that ever happened to your salmon.
  • Prepare the salmon. Pat the salmon fillet dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. If your fillet has a thinner end, fold it under to create an even thickness so it cooks uniformly. (Unevenly cooked salmon is another culinary crime we're avoiding!)
  • Roll out the pastry. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a rectangle about 4 inches longer and wider than your salmon. Transfer to the lined baking sheet. Reminder: keep pastry cool but workable – warm pastry is sad, floppy pastry.
  • Assemble the package. Spread Dijon mustard down the center of the pastry where the salmon will sit. Spread half the cream cheese mixture over the mustard, place the salmon on top, then spread the remaining cream cheese mixture on top of the salmon. You're basically making a salmon sandwich with cream cheese as the bread.
  • Wrap it up. Brush the exposed pastry edges with some egg wash. Fold the shorter sides over the ends of the salmon, then bring the long sides up to meet in the middle, overlapping slightly. Press to seal. Flip the whole package over so the seam is on the bottom. Look at you, all fancy with your pastry-wrapped salmon!
  • Make it beautiful. Brush the entire pastry with egg wash. If you're feeling artistic, use a sharp knife to score diagonal lines across the top (don't cut all the way through). Optionally, create decorative leaves from pastry scraps and attach with egg wash.
  • Bake to golden perfection. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. For perfectly cooked salmon, the internal temperature should reach 125°F (52°C) for medium-rare or 130°F (54°C) for medium. Remember: the salmon will continue cooking slightly after removal from the oven.
  • Rest before the big reveal. Let it rest for 5 minutes before cutting into thick slices to serve. This resting time isn't just for dramatic effect – it helps the pastry and filling set up properly.

Notes

  • Puff pastry tip: Keep it cold until ready to use, but ensure it's pliable enough to work with. If it cracks, it's too cold; if it sticks or feels floppy, it's too warm.
  • For a shortcut: Use pre-made boursin or herb cream cheese instead of making your own herb filling.
  • For the absolute best flavor, use fresh herbs rather than dried.
  • Quick side suggestion: This pairs beautifully with roasted fingerling potatoes and a simple green salad.