Whole Side Salmon en Croûte

INGREDIENTS 

Salmon & Pastry

• 1 whole side Mount Cook Salmon, 1–1.19 kg, skin removed
• 500–600g puff pastry (you’ll need 2 sheets or one large block to roll out)
• 2 egg yolks (for brushing)

Spinach & Cream Cheese Filling

• 1.5 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 400g fresh baby spinach
• ½ cup fresh dill, chopped
• 250g cream cheese
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 egg yolk
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

• ½ cup sunflower seeds (or nuts/seeds you prefer)
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• ¾ cup olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Make the spinach filling

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Sauté chopped shallots and garlic until soft and fragrant.
3. Add spinach and cook until fully wilted.
4. Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly.
5. Add dill, cream cheese, lemon zest, and egg yolk.
6. Season with salt & pepper. Mix until smooth. Set aside.

Make the pesto

1. In a blender or food processor, add sunflower seeds, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and paprika.
2. Blend while slowly streaming in the olive oil until thick and smooth. Set aside. 
   

Assemble the Wellington

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
3. Roll out puff pastry into a large rectangle wide & long enough to wrap the salmon fully.
4. Spread a generous layer of pesto onto the center of the pastry.
5. Place the salmon fillet on top (skin removed), flesh-side up.
6. Spread the spinach–cream cheese filling evenly over the entire surface of the salmon.
7. Fold the pastry over the salmon, sealing edges tightly.
   • Trim excess pastry and use it for decoration if you like.
8. Brush the entire pastry with egg yolk.

Bake

• Bake at 200°C for 30–35 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.
• Let rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing.