Savory Salmon Turnovers
We actually got this brilliant idea from our World’s Greatest Chicken Pot Pie recipe (page 48), borrowing some of its staple flavors to create an entirely new dish. The mild flavors of the tarragon and white wine sauce complement the leek mixture in this new creation. Baking the salmon en croute keeps the fish moist and seals in its natural flavors. When you find a flavor combination you love, experiment and find new ways to make it work for you!
Recipe information
Yield
makes 6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Cook the rice according to the package directions. Set aside.
Step 2
Melt the butter in a heavy, medium skillet set over medium-low heat. Add the leek, carrot, and celery, and sauté until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the flour, tarragon, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper, and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk and cream, and cook, stirring, until thickened and bubbly, about 8 minutes. Stir in the wine and heat thoroughly for an additional 2 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked rice. Set aside.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat two 9 x 13-inch casserole dishes with cooking spray.
Step 4
On a flat, lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry sheets into 12-inch squares. Cut four equal squares from each sheet so that you have 12 squares total. Divide the rice mixture aong six of the pastry squares, mounding the mixture into an oval shape with the ends toward two corners of the pastry square. Set a salmon fillet on top of each rice oval and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Make an egg wash by lightly beating together the egg and 1 teaspoon water. Brush the edge of the puff pastry with the egg wash, then bring the pastry corners up around salmon (the pastry will not enclose the salmon completely.) Brush the edges of a second pastry square with egg wash and lay it on top of the salmon fillet, tucking its corners under the bottom of the pastry to enclose the fillet completely. Pinch the edges together to seal and brush the entire turnover with egg wash. Repeat for remaining turnovers. Cut a vent in the top of each turnover to allow steam to escape.
Step 5
Arrange the salmon packages in the prepared casserole dishes, allowing each puff pastry package enough room to puff without touching each other. Bake until the pastry is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the fish registers 145°F, about 30 minutes.
note
Step 6
You can prepare this dish several hours ahead of time. Once you’ve made the turnovers, cover and chill them in the refrigerator until your guests arrive. Then, simply pop them in the preheated oven, serve, and enjoy. Easy entertaining at its best.
