Wellington salmon with pate and spinach cream

We bring you the star recipe of Christmas, Wellington fillet, but in a different and most exquisite fish version: Wellington-style salmon stuffed and wrapped in filo pastry is a recipe as delicious as it is elegant. You may have heard of this recipe as " Salmon en crôute " (salmon with a crust), a salmon wrapped in filo pastry or puff pastry.

What we have prepared is basically a salmon version of the classic Beef Wellington . For those who don't know, Beef Wellington is a classic recipe from English cuisine, which is prepared by spreading the beef pate on the tenderloin, wrapping it in ham and, as a finishing touch, wrapping it in puff pastry, which after baking becomes golden and is presented beautifully, since it combines the crunchiness of the puff pastry with the tender texture of the meat.

In our version of salmon en crôute, we will fill it with salmon pâté, crab and watercress, we will wrap it in filo pastry (you can also wrap it in puff pastry if you prefer) and we will accompany it with a base of creamed spinach that suits it luxuriously, both in the presentation and in the combination of flavors.

I hope you enjoy this recipe this Christmas. It is elegant, sophisticated and a real delight. I must say that it takes time to make, but it is not complicated.

Ingredients

• 2 salmon fillets, 500 gr each (similar shape and size, and skinless)
• 50 g crab meat
• 30 g crème fraîche (if not, use cooking cream)
• 30 g of watercress
• 5 g fresh dill
• 30 g cream cheese (Philadelphia type)
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• ½ lemon, squeezed and grated
• 6 sheets of filo pastry*
• 1 egg lightly beaten

For the spinach cream

• 400 g fresh spinach
• 30 g butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 medium garlic cloves crushed
• 400 ml of milk
• 30 g of wheat flour
• 1 tbsp nutmeg

Preparation

We prepare the salmon Wellington

1. Place the two salmon fillets on top of each other and trim off any excess to ensure that they are both the same size. Keep the trimmings to use when making the pâté.
2. Sprinkle salt and a little pepper on the tenderloins, seasoning to taste.
3. Let's prepare the paté. To do this, put the ingredients for the paté into a food processor: put the reserved salmon scraps (about 50-80 g), together with the crab meat, crème fraîche (or liquid cream), watercress, dill, cream cheese, zest and juice of half a lemon and a pinch of salt and pepper. Turn on the food processor to blend until you have a smooth paste.
4. Using a spoon or a butter knife, spread the pâté over one of the salmon fillets (leaving an even layer along the entire fillet). Once you have made the layer, place the second fillet on top. This will make the salmon filling.
5. Grease a Le Creuset baking tray with butter, then place a sheet of filo pastry on it (lay it flat but not flat – it’s okay if it sticks out over the edges). Brush with a little beaten egg and place a second sheet on top. Brush with egg again, then add a third sheet*.
6. Fold a fourth sheet in half, and place it on top of the previous sheets, covering the central area. This will help you to have a little more thickness of filo pastry where you will place the salmon (and where more juices will go... this way the package will hold better, it will have a thicker base and the dough will not break so easily).
7. Place the salmon fillets in the centre of the prepared filo pastry sheets, and wrap the sheets around the salmon, closing them like a parcel. Bring the ends to the top, and crumple the excess pastry to create a nice shape, like a decoration for the parcel.
8. Brush the entire filo dough with beaten egg (except the bottom).
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 180ºC until golden.

We prepare the spinach cream

1. While the salmon Wellington is cooking, prepare the spinach cream. In a large non-stick frying pan, melt the butter and add the finely chopped onion. Sauté over a low/medium heat until the onion begins to soften, then add the crushed garlic and brown for a couple of minutes.
2. Add the flour and cook for a couple of minutes to remove the raw taste. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly until you obtain a glossy sauce.
3. Once you have added all the milk, sprinkle the nutmeg and stir, then leave on the heat to reduce until you obtain a thicker, creamier sauce.
4. Add the spinach, reduce heat to low and stir slowly until the spinach has completely reduced and blanched.

Presentation of the dish

When the salmon Wellington is done, remove the tray from the oven and let it rest for about five minutes. Pour the creamed spinach over the tray, around the salmon parcel (pour a little milk over the parcel, as a decoration), and serve the tray directly at the table.

Grades

• *If you use puff pastry or shortcrust pastry, once the salmon is wrapped, poke some holes in the top with a fork so that the steam inside has an outlet, otherwise the steam itself will make its way in on its own (which could make a hole in an unsightly way or where you don't want it to look like it's full of holes).
• You can prepare the salmon en croûte in advance (brush it with egg and cover it well so that the mixture doesn't dry out) and put it in the oven when it's time to cook it. If you do this, take it out of the fridge 10 minutes before putting it in the oven so that it can warm up.
• When cutting it, make thick cuts to present it nicely and generously, and to show a clean cut inside.
• You can make individual versions of this dish . Just use pieces of cut loin (about 4 fingers thick), and wrap them into individual puff pastry or filo dough purses.