Recipe: The Cannery Seafood House Salmon Wellington (Serves 2)

THE CANNERY SEAFOOD HOUSE SALMON WELLINGTON

FOR THE MUSHROOM DUXELLE:
2 oz bottom mushroom
1 oz foie gras or chicken liver diced
11/2 cup whipping cream
2 oz baby shrimp
1 medium shallot
1 egg yolk and 2 tbsp of milk whisked together for egg wash
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp unsalted butter
FOR THE FISH MOUSSE:
2 oz salmon
3 oz whipping cream
1 egg white
FOR THE SALMON WELLINGTON:
2 (5.5oz each) fresh spring salmon fillet (skinned and de-boned)
10 oz puff pastry
FOR THE SAUCE:
1/4 lb unsalted butter
1cup pinot noir wine
1 medium shallot
1/2 tsp liquid honey
1 sprig fresh thyme

MUSHROOM DUXELLE:
Trim and wash the mushrooms and cut them into a quarters. Reserve on a plate. Chop the shallot and place half in a saucepan. Add 1/2 tsp of butter and saut over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the mushroom and foie gras (or chicken liver) and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the cream and reduce until dry. Add salt and pepper.

Let cool for a few minutes and place in a food processor to be chopped. Add the chopped parsley and mix. Place on a plate and keep refrigerated until needed.

FISH MOUSSE:
In a clean food processor place the 2 oz salmon, add the salt and chop the salmon into a very thin mousse. Add the egg white and mix. Slowly add the 3 oz of cream and mix for one minute. Be careful not to over mix, the mousse will split. Remove mousse from the food processor and place in refrigerator until needed.

SALMON WELLINGTON:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Flour a dry counter or marble, and roll the puff pastry into a rectangle, 8x10-inches-about 1/8-inch thick. You will need enough dough to fold over the length of the salmon and make a seal (rectangle will become 4x10-inches). Evenly space the salmon fillets along bottom edge of the puff pastry. Leave a margin of pastry at edge to seal the Wellington. Season with salt and pepper. Spread 2 tbsp of mousse evenly over each fillet. Brush the edges of the pastry with egg wash, taking care not to touch the salmon. Spread the creamy chopped mushroom mix evenly over the salmon fillet to coat it and keep it moist. Top the mushroom with shrimp meat.

Fold puff pastry forward to completely cover salmon. Cut pastry between fillets. Press the edges together with a fork to seal and make a decorative pattern; trim edges neatly. Prick the pastry top decoratively to allow air to escape while baking. Place the Wellington on wax paper over a baking tray. Brush the top with egg wash.

Bake in the middle level of a pre-heated 400 degree F oven for 15 minutes then turn the heat to 375 degree F for an additional 15 minutes. The Wellington should be a nice golden brown color. Remove from the oven.

PINOT NOIR BUTTER SAUCE:
(to be prepared while Wellington is baking)
In a sauce pan over medium heat, place the remaining chopped shallot. Pour in the red wine and honey. Reduce until almost dry and add the remaining cream. Reduce 1/2 cup cream to half and turn heat to low. Slowly whisk in the butter. Whisk constantly until butter is fully combined in reduction. Pour the sauce through a china cup (strainer) into a clean saucepan. Discard the remaining solids. Adjust the seasoning and set aside.

Serve the Wellington with seasonal vegetables and serve with pinot noir butter sauce.

Hint: If you like, you can prepare this recipe the day before and bake the next day.

Servings: 2
Source: The Cannery Seafood House, Vancouver, BC, Canada