Salmon En Croute

For a last Mc-Bell-Smith dinner a few weeks ago, I made my first full-sized Beef Wellington, with potato bake, snow-peas and honeyed carrots. I unfortunately didn't take a single photo. If only I captured the battle for the remaining potato-bake! There were some stern words exchanged!

So, we farewelled the Smiths, and then sought comfort in more food! Namely, potato bake. But what to make to have alongside it,?? So, I thought of doing a salmon wellington, or its official name, Salmon En Croute! (Holly - Salmon in pastry!).

When making a regular beef wellington, you need a layer between the beef and the pastry, which can be pate, a mushroom gravy or something similar. For the salmon, I knew none of that would work, and so used a pea mash that I made (next time, I would buy mushy peas, save myself half an hour!). So, whether you mush the peas yourself or buy them, all you need to do is lay the peas onto the pastry in the same size as your piece of salmon. Place the salmon on top of the peas and wrap the salmon in the pastry. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes. The salmon being in pastry is kind of like an oven inside an oven, so it tends to cook quite quickly, whilst not drying out. I topped the salmon with a delicious herbed creme fraiche (combine creme fraiche with chopped parsley and chopped mint).

I think I might do an entirely separate post for potato bake... I believe it deserves its own posting, it really is that tasty. Not AT ALL good for you in terms of health, but definitely good for you when you need a little comfort!

Will post soon (only 1.5 weeks until we have internet at home and I can properly blog at home, not at Starbucks!! Things seem to move slowly in London....)