# Mudbug Alert!  - Salmon en croute



## marmalady (Nov 2, 2004)

Hi, let's see if I can remember all this.

Roll out the pastry so it's big enough to lay the salmon on it, and bring the edges up all the way around to seal it closed.  Then put it on a baking sheet and chill in the fridge.  When you have the rest of the ingredients below ready, remove the pastry from the fridge, and brush with beaten egg.  

-The first layer that goes on the pastry was some steamed spinach, which had been wrung absolutely dry, and just seasoned with a little salt. 

-The mushroom layer is the second layer; shrooms sauted in butter, thyme, salt/pepper, then put in a strainer to get as much of hte liquid out as you can.

- Then a THIN layer of the 'veloute' (base recipe is 1 cup chicken stock to 2T flour & 2T butter, s/p, and fresh or dried tarragon to taste.  You can get fancy if you like, and first saute some shallots in the butter, add some white wine (about 1/4 cup) and reduce, then add the flour and stock.  

-Then the salmon on top (I remove the skin, as it gets pretty chewy and yukky in this recipe), and another thin layer of the veloute.

-Bring the edges of the pastry up over the salmon on the 'short ends' first, then overlap the longer sides over it.  Seal it completely , use more egg wash to seal. 

You can make a pretty design on top of the pastry with a sharp paring knife, just don't cut all the way through - or make some flowers or leaves with pastry scraps, and 'paste' them on top with more egg wash.

Bake on bottom rack of a 375-400 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes, til crust is dark golden brown.  Serve with more veloute sauce on the side.

C'est magnifique!


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## Juliev (Nov 2, 2004)

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh that is my absolute fav fish...

sounds simply fantastic!


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## marmalady (Nov 2, 2004)

It is totally awesome, Julie!  And ooops - should have posted this in 'fish' - sowwy!


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## Juliev (Nov 2, 2004)

marmalady said:
			
		

> It is totally awesome, Julie!  And ooops - should have posted this in 'fish' - sowwy!



LOL... time to hawl you off to jail.. lmao... that's fine!


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## mudbug (Nov 2, 2004)

heaping tablespoons of thanks, marmalady!  

I will be making this in a day or two and will let you know how I do.


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## marmalady (Nov 2, 2004)

Juliev said:
			
		

> marmalady said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Only if I can share a cage with Martha my Dear! :roll:


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## Psiguyy (Nov 4, 2004)

marmalady, try some asparagus instead of the mushrooms and a squeeze of lemon over the salmon before sealing in the pastry.  I think the lemon really adds to the flavor of the salmon and vegetables.


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## marmalady (Nov 4, 2004)

Oooh - maybe the asparagus AND the shrooms!


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## Psiguyy (Nov 5, 2004)

marmalady said:
			
		

> Oooh - maybe the asparagus AND the shrooms!



Do they go together?  I guess that's why I'll never be a professional chef.  I don't really know what goes together.  I never mixed asparagus and mushrooms.  In fact, I have never eaten salmon with mushrooms.  I'll have to give your recipe a try one of these days.


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## marmalady (Nov 5, 2004)

Mushrooms go with just about anything!  

Except - maybe - chocolate  - I've never tried chocolate dipped mushrooms!


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## amber (Nov 6, 2004)

Wow, this sound awesome! I like psi guys idea about adding asparagus and lemon too.  I'll have to try it one of these days?  Did you use puff pastry for this recipe?


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## Psiguyy (Nov 7, 2004)

In my case, I use puff pastry.


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## marmalady (Nov 7, 2004)

I'm sorry, I should have said - yes, it's puff pastry, although you can use a regular egg pastry dough for it also.

My only caveat about using the spinach instead of the asparagus, is that it acts to absorb some of the moisture coming from the salmon on the bottom crust as it bakes.  The spinach has to be abolustely squeezed dry before placing it on the bottom crust.  I'm not sure asparagus would serve the same function.

I have, though, seen en croute made by first plaing a very thin crepe on the bottom of the pastry, then layering the ingredients over that.


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