SALMON EN CROUTE
Ingredients
- 550g/1lb 3½oz puff pastry
- at room temperature
- flour
- for dusting
- 55g/2oz unsalted butter
- 3 large shallots
- 450g/1lb chestnut mushrooms
- sliced
- 675g/1lb 8oz salmon fillet
- skinned and sliced into 4cm/1½in slices
- 1 lemon
- juice only
- 1 large bunch fresh dill
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 170g/6oz basmati and wild rice packet mix
- cooked according to packet instructions
- rinsed and cooled
- splash white wine
- 1 large free-range egg
- beaten
- pinch of salt
- 200ml/7fl oz double cream
- ½ lemon
- juice only
- freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
- Prepare the base of the pie. Cut off one-third of the pastry. Wrap the larger piece in cling film and place in the fridge (this will be used to make the top of the pie later). On a clean
- floured surface
- roll out the smaller piece of pastry into a rectangle about 20cm x 28cm/8in x 11in. Carefully trim the edges to form a neat rectangle. Reserve the trimmings and place in layers that can be rolled out to make the decoration later.
- Using a rolling pin to lift it
- place the pastry rectangle onto a non-stick baking tray and prick all over with a fork. This will stop it from rising too much in the oven. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until cooked and golden. Set aside to cool.
- For the filling
- heat half of the butter in a frying pan until foaming. Finely chop the shallots and fry until soft and golden-brown. Add the sliced mushrooms to the shallots and fry until just cooked. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
- Place the salmon fillets into a bowl. Squeeze over the lemon juice. Tear the dill into pieces and scatter over the salmon. Drizzle over the olive oil
- then season with freshly ground black pepper and gently combine. Don't prepare the filling more than an hour in advance
- or the lemon will be begin to 'cook' the salmon.
- In a bowl
- combine the cooled shallot and mushroom mixture with the cooled rice. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spoon the mixture over the cooked pastry base and
- using the back of a spoon
- press the mixture out toward the edges.
- Place the salmon slices and dill on top of the rice (discard the juices from the bowl). Splash over some white wine and dot over the remaining butter.
- On a clean
- floured surface
- roll out the remaining pastry until it's slightly larger than the base. It should be large enough to cover the mixture and the cooked pastry with a little room to spare. Using a rolling pin
- gently lift and place the pastry over the salmon and trim off the corners of the raw pastry. Reserve for later.
- Using a palette knife gently tuck the raw pastry underneath the base (a bit like making a bed).
- Make an egg wash by beating together the egg and salt in a bowl. Using a pastry brush
- brush the whole pie with the beaten egg. Use the reserved pastry trimmings to make leaf shapes and decorate the pie with the leaves. Brush over these with beaten egg.
- Bake the pie for about 30-35 minutes
- or until golden-brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Meanwhile
- make the soured cream. Place the cream into a bowl. Pour over the lemon juice and stir thoroughly as the cream thickens. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve slices of the salmon en croûte with the soured cream on the side.

