Salmon En Croûte With Asparagus & Beurre Blanc
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
For the salmon en croûte:
40g watercress, chopped
200g cream cheese
2 tbsp chopped dill
1 lemon, zest and juice
Flour, for dusting
2 packs (320g each) M&S ready-rolled puff pastry
1 (500g) M&S Scottish salmon fillet joint, cut into 4 pieces
1 egg, beaten, for glazing
60ml white wine
60ml white wine vinegar
2 small shallots, finely chopped
80ml double cream
220g butter, chilled and diced into 1cm pieces
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
3 tsp olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
80g watercress
1 fennel bulb, very finely sliced
16 asparagus spears, trimmed
1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges
For the beurre blanc:
60ml white wine
60ml white wine vinegar
2 small shallots, finely chopped
80ml double cream
220g butter, chilled and diced into 1cm pieces
For the watercress salad:
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
3 tsp olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
80g watercress
1 fennel bulb, very finely sliced
To serve:
16 asparagus spears, trimmed
1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges
METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Mix the watercress, the cream cheese, the dill, the lemon zest and juice and some seasoning in a bowl.
3. Dust a work surface with flour and unroll one of the pastry sheets. Cut in half across the longer side. Spread ¼ of the cream cheese mixture on one side of one of the pastry rectangles – leave ⅔ of the pastry clear so you can fold it over to form a parcel, plus a 1cm border to seal. Top the cream cheese with a salmon fillet. Wet the border with a little water and fold over the pastry to form a parcel. Trim the edges, then seal by either crimping together or using a fork. Transfer to the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining pastry. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
4. Remove from the fridge and use a teaspoon to create a scale effect in the pastry. Brush with the egg and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
5. To make the beurre blanc, put the wine, vinegar and shallots into a saucepan. Simmer over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half. Strain the wine and vinegar, discarding the shallots. Return to the heat, add the cream and simmer for 1 more minute. Season with sea salt and white pepper. Reduce the heat to low, so that the liquid is barely simmering. Add the butter a cube or two at a time, whisking with a balloon whisk, until it’s all used up. Do not hurry this process or overheat, as this will cause the sauce to split.
6. Steam the asparagus until tender.
7. For the salad, whisk together the mustard, honey, olive oil and white wine vinegar to make a dressing. Place the watercress and fennel into a bowl and toss together with the dressing.
8. Serve each salmon en croûte parcel with some of the salad and asparagus, a drizzle of beurre blanc and a wedge of lemon.
