Savory Salmon Puff Recipes

Steps:

• For the salmon: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Heat the oil in a heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until translucent and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and wilt for 4 minutes. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Let cool.
• Dust a flat working surface with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll out the sheets of puff pastry into 1/4-inch thickness (each 12 by 12 inches). Put the pastry sheets side-by-side so they overlap slightly, by about 1/2 inch. Brush the overlapping strip with the beaten egg, stick both sheets together at the strip and seal with a fork. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
• Spoon the cooled mushroom-spinach mixture over one side of the puff pastry rectangle. To make an even rectangle out of the salmon fillet, you can cut the top portion off of the belly and add it to the tail part. Place the fillet over the mushroom-spinach mixture. Season the salmon heavily with salt and pepper. Fold the other side of the rectangle over the filling and seal by brushing the edge with egg wash and crimping as you would a pie crust (you can use a fork; I crimped like a pie crust with my fingers). Fold the remaining 2 open edges of pastry under the salmon fillet. Brush everything with the egg wash.
• Bake until the puff pastry is crisp and golden in color, 25 minutes. Let stand for about 8 minutes before slicing.
• For the dill sauce: Put the clam juice in a heavy saucepot and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and reduce to 1/2 cup. Add the Mexican crema and heavy cream and reduce to 1 cup. Add the flour and whisk while boiling until thickened. Add the dill and season with salt and pepper.
• Slice the salmon into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch slices. Serve immediately with the dill sauce.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F with a rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Lightly flour a work surface and gently unfold the puff pastry dough. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a 10-by-12-inch rectangle. Score a 1-inch border along all four sides with a sharp knife then prick the area inside the border all over with a fork. This allows steam to release and a rim to rise around the tart.
• Transfer the puff pastry to the prepared baking sheet and bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown and puffy, about 18 minutes total. Remove the pastry from the baking sheet and allow it to cool on a cutting board or wire rack for 10 minutes. (see Cook's Note)
• While the pastry is baking, whip the cream cheese, yogurt, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Fold in the capers, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons chopped dill and 2 tablespoons chopped chives and set aside.
• Just before serving, evenly spread the cream cheese filling over the baked pastry with an offset spatula, leaving the 1-inch border exposed. Arrange the smoked salmon and cucumber on top and sprinkle the tart with the dill fronds, remaining 1 tablespoon chives and some black pepper.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Combine smoked salmon, feta cheese, black pepper and garlic.
• Roll out puff pastry on lightly floured surface to form a 12x12 inch sheet. Cut sheet into 16 3x3-inch squares. Place a spoonful of salmon filling in the center of each square. Pull together corners of each square to form 16 small packets. Brush packets with egg whites and place on prepared baking sheets. (The puffs can be frozen at this point. See Editor's Note.)
• Bake in preheated oven until pastry is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Bring wine, 2 cups water, bay leaf, celery, and peppercorns to a simmer in a small, wide saucepan over medium-high. Add salmon, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until slightly opaque but still pink on inside, about 3 minutes. Remove salmon; let cool slightly. Strain liquid through a fine-mesh sieve; reserve. Flake salmon into large pieces.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saute pan over medium-high. Add leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Melt 4 more tablespoons butter in pan; add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 5 minutes. Add to leeks.
• Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in pan. Whisk in flour, stirring constantly, until mixture is foamy and light brown, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in 1 cup reserved poaching liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce to a rapid simmer, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool. Stir into leek-mushroom mixture. Add rice, dill, and salmon. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
• On a floured surface, roll each piece of puff pastry (dusting with flour as necessary) into a 12-by-16-inch rectangle, 1/8 inch thick. Cut out twelve 4-by-6-inch rectangles; transfer to 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Use small cookie cutters to cut shapes from excess dough, if desired.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Divide filling evenly among pastry rectangles (about 1/4 cup each), mounding in center of one short side. With a pastry brush, dampen borders with cold water. Fold tops of pastry over filling. Press edges; crimp to seal tightly with the tines of a fork. Place cutouts on top, if desired; adhere with cold water. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, 20 minutes.
• Beat together yolk and cream; brush each coulibiac with mixture. Bake, rotating halfway through, until puffed and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve warm, with lemon wedges and sauce.

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine the softened cream cheese and mayo.
• Add in salmon, lemon juice (if using) bell pepper, olives, celery, green onion and dill; mix well to combine.
• Season with seasoning salt and pepper.
• Cover and chill overnight.
• Set oven to 400 degree.
• Place one thawed pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface; roll out to a 12x10-inch rectangle.
• Transfer to a lightly greased baking sheet.
• Brush the edges of the sheet with egg.
• Spread the salmon mixture over the pastry up to 1-inch from edges.
• Roll the second sheet out to the same size as the first sheet.
• Place over the filling, matching the edges and crimp to seal.
• Score the top of pastry diagonally in both directions at 1-inch intervals.
• Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until deep golden brown.
• Cut into slices with a serrated knife and serve warm.