Salmon Pastry Recipe
by Marcus Wareing
4
45 minutes
Ingredients

  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 2 tbsp of rock salt
  • 1/2 bunch of dill, fronds finely chopped and stalks chopped
  • 4 salmon fillets, weighing 120-140g each, skinless and pin-boned
  • 80g of cream cheese
  • 1 lemon, finely zested
  • 1 gherkin, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp capers, in brine, finely chopped
  • 2 sheets of puff pastry, all-butter variety, each weighing 320g and cut into 4 rectangles
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
Method
1
Put the fennel and coriander seeds in a small, dry frying pan and toast over medium heat until fragrant. Crush in a spice grinder or using a pestle and mortar then add to the rock salt and chopped dill stalks and stir. Coat the salmon pieces in the salt mixture, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 2 tbsp of rock salt
  • 1/2 bunch of dill, fronds finely chopped and stalks chopped
  • 4 salmon fillets, weighing 120-140g each, skinless and pin-boned
2
Rinse the salt off the salmon pieces under cold running water then pat them dry with kitchen paper
3
Mix the cream cheese, chopped dill fronds, lemon zest, gherkin and capers together in a bowl with a pinch each of salt and pepper
  • 80g of cream cheese
  • 1 lemon, finely zested
  • 1 gherkin, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp capers, in brine, finely chopped
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
4
Preheat an oven to 210°C/190°C fan/gas mark 7 and line a baking tray with baking parchment
5
Lay 4 of the pastry rectangles on the lined baking tray. Divide the cream cheese mix into 4 and place a spoonful in the centre of each piece of pastry. Smooth it out, leaving a 1cm border around the edges of the pastry. Brush the borders of each pastry piece with the beaten egg
  • 2 sheets of puff pastry, all-butter variety, each weighing 320g and cut into 4 rectangles
  • 1 egg, beaten
6
Place a piece of salmon on top of the cream cheese mix, flipping the skinny end of the salmon under the fillet so that it fits well in the rectangle
7
Take the remaining 4 pastry rectangles out of the fridge and place them on top of the salmon pieces. Using the side of your hand, carefully press the edges of the 2 pastry pieces together, to seal the salmon in. Using a fork, gently crimp a 5mm border around the edge of each parcel. Brush each parcel with beaten egg then place the entire tray in the fridge for 10 minutes
8
Bake the salmon parcels for 20–25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven, allow to rest for a few minutes then serve