Salmon wellington how should the pastry look?!
Answers: should the pastry covering the salmon be raised up and flaky or can it be flat.
Elegant yet deceptively easy to do, Salmon Wellington is the perfect dinner dish. Ask your fishmonger to be sure all of the pin bones are carefully removed from the fish. You can substitute fresh spinach for the frozen, just sweat 1lb of spinach in a pan and drain it of all moisture.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
Ingredients
1 Side of Salmon Fillet 3-5 lbs, skin and pin bones removed
2 Sheets of Puff Pastry, defrosted according to package instructions
? cup of flour for dusting the cutting board with
3 Eggs beaten for egg wash
1 lb frozen chopped spinach, thawed. Drain by wrapping in cheesecloth & wring out the moisture
1 C Dungeness crab Meat, rinsed and picked through for any remaining shells
3 T mayonnaise
Salt and pepper To Taste
Method
1. Combine the crab, mayonnaise, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix together and set aside
2. Dust cutting board or counter with flour and lay one rectangle of puff pastry out on it.
3. Place the salmon fillet in the center of the puff pastry and top with the spinach.
4. Spread the crab mixture over the top of the spinach evenly.
5. Paint the puff pastry around the circumference of the salmon fillet with the egg wash.
6. Top with the remaining piece of puff pastry and trim the excess dough from the package.
7. Paint the top piece of puff pastry with the egg wash and crimp the edges of the top and bottom pieces of puff pastry to seal the salmon within.
8. Cut decorative vents in the puff pastry approx. every 2-3 inches down the length of the package.
9. You can use a cookie cutter to cut decorative pieces of puff pastry to place on top of your salmon Wellington prior to cooking if desired. Be sure to brush with egg wash prior to cooking.
10. Using a long spatula or two, carefully lift the Wellington and put it on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.
11. Place in pre heated oven for 30-35 minutes until puff pastry is golden brown. Remove and allow to stand before attempting to slice for serving.
I have not cooked this for a few years but still a nice recipe
If you've done it and it is flat - well nevermind. It should be raised up and flaky though.
Have a good lunch.
Raised, flaky and golden brown.
The idea of any wellington dish is to protect the contents, be they fish or meat, from getting burnt...you weren't originally supposed to eat the pastry...bit like a Cornish pastie....so it didn't really matter....but now you eat the pastry...so better if its flaky as it is not to heavy on the stomach.
Basically, It can be either way, depending on the chef. Neither is incorrect and is more of a personal preference. Puffed flaky pastry is accomplished by utilization of puffed pastry ( frozen food section of grocery store,) while the "flat" pastry generally uses pie crust. I've had beef wellington both ways, ans they are equally as tasty.