Salmon en croûte

[Grub]

Salmon en croûte

Now, please don't be gentle with me -- I'd really like some constructive criticism on this one. This isn't so much a demo, as it is a detailed insight into the cooking process of an amateur cook. If this text and these pictures display any positive aspects to my methods and thoughts, I'd be delighted to hear of it -- but if you can point out where I went wrong, and what I can do to improve it, I'd be sincerely grateful...

Salmon is one of my favorite foods. And baking it in pastry has become one of my favorite methods of preparing it. I've used supermarket puff pastry, and I've used supermarket phyllo. But this time I wanted to try make my own pastry wrapping -- I made my own pastry dough for some Cornish pastry-like Jamaican Beef Patties, and it worked out really well.

So, here I go...

Ingredients: flour (cup and a half), salt (teaspoon), butter (one stick) and water (1/3-1/2 cup or so).

Mix the flour and the salt:

Chop up half of the butter (make sure it is cold -- it is important that the butter doesn't get a chance to melt):

Grind it into the flour with your hands until the butter is separated into very small pieces, and the flour takes on an almost cornmeal-like texture:

At this point, I place the bowl and the remaining butter in the freezer, to make sure it stays chilled. 10-15 minutes later, it's time to grind the remaining butter in -- but this time, I don't grind it nearly as fine: the lumps are almost the size of peas. This will make for some puffy, crispy crust.

I give it another rest in the freezer before I continue on, by mixing in the water. I give it as much as is needed for the dough to start sticking together; about 1/3 to 1/2 a cup of cold water. Local humidity dictates how much you use -- I live in an almost desert-like climate, so if you're in Florida or Jamaica, adjust accordingly. Oh yeah, and I use a fork at this point -- no need to heat it up any further with my hands.

Then, I roll it into a disk, and wrap it up in cling wrap, and leave it in the fridge until I'm ready to continue. This first stage can be done well in advance -- a day ahead is fine (I haven't tried doing it further in advance than that though). Notice the lumps of butter -- they will be squeezed into wide, flat shapes when I roll the dough out, and will provide lots of fluffiness.

Normally, I top my salmon with spinach, and although I don't mean to join in on the current spinach hysteria, I figured it was as good a time as any, to try something else. I tried doing Ramsay's Beef Wellington, which uses duxelle, so I figured I try it with the salmon. I don't know anything about mushrooms except for Marcella Hazan's recommendation that you always use more than one type of mushrooms. So that's what I did. Oh yeah, and a duxelle is onions and mushrooms, as far as I'm aware -- no idea on ratios though.

I sautéed it -- sorry about the out-of-focus picture...

And gage it a whirl with the Evinrude.

Then I spread it on a plate and chuck it in the freezer to chill it.

The salmon is skinned, deboned and generally sorted out, and the wrapped-up dough from the day before is brought out. Flour is spread, and I'm ready to roll the dough out.

As far as I can tell, things are going fairly well at this point, but I'm starting to worry that the dough will be too small to wrap around the salmon fillet. I can always roll it bigger, but it'll be thinner.

Then I fold it. Being a computer nerd, my natural inclination would be to double it, and then double it etc., but this is apparently how puff pastry is folded -- folded into triple layers, repeatedly. I only repeated this folding process a few times though, and I think that might have been a mistake...

Some dijon mustard, salt and pepper on the fillet:

And the duxelle. For my tastes, this was a little too strong for the salmon. I'm thinking I need to figure out what else this duxelle stuff is used for, though, cause it's nice.

Then I turn the fillet over onto the dough:

And roll the dough up. My fears about the dough not being big enough is abated -- dough and fish alike is pretty pliable. I actually ended up with quite a bit of leftover dough at the ends.

Edges trimmed and folded up -- this side is going to face downwards during cooking and serving, so if it looks a little messed up, no problem.

So there's the soon-to-be beauty. I didn't notice this when I cooked it, but looking at the picture, the butter particles seem a little too small, or -- well, not flattened out enough. I'm thinking this is because I didn't repeat the folding-up process enough times.

Normally, when I do a pastry-wrappes salmon fillet, I brush the puff pastry with an egg wash. This is supposed to ensure a lovely, golden crust. For some reason, I decided against this. I'd already used two eggs on a Hollandaise sauce, so I guess I figured yet another egg would be kinda extravagant or something, so I didn't. But after about 6 minutes, things looked really pale, so I decided to brush some butter on the thing.

Eh, the turd-looking thing is just some leftover pastry that I decided to chuck in, at the last moment. I figured maybe I'd learn something, from how it cooked in the oven.

Well so far, so good. Except -- there was no golden, beautiful, brown crispy crust developing. So I turned on the broiler. I mean, I'm checking this thing intermittently, fairly frequently -- prepping the salad, and getting my Hollandaise sauce going.

Then -- AURGH! KATASTROF!

I damned well burned it! It's not a deep burn. I scraped off the top, and the charring didn't affect the overall taste too much -- but yeah, it did affect it. I was not very happy at this point.

Of course, the stupid breadstick-turd took on a good color:

Well, here's the beast -- a couple of slices cut up, and the worst of the charring scraped off. I could probably have done a lot better, getting rid of the charred bits, but I was pretty frustrated at this point...

And the final result, plated up with a Hollandaise sauce and a (sensibly dressed, for a change) salad with home-made garlic-rosemary croutons. I'd normally put the sauce on the plate and the main protein thingie on top of it -- you know, to show off the golden crust and whatnot. But I didn't have any golden crusts in this case, so I just ladled the goopy stuff on top of it...

My Hollandaise sauce is normally much thinner, but I've seen some pictures of these almost custardy-like Hollandaise sauces, so I wanted to try that... And I succeeded. This was definitely one of the best I've ever made. It stayed intact on the dinner plates -- in spite of a slow pace -- but in the saucier on the stove, it broke completely. No leftover sauce for anyone -- unless you like grimy Hollandaise-flavored greasy, goopy apple sauce-y crap. Man, there's nothing quite as sad as a broken sauce.

Well -- pastry, salmon, sauce, salad, croutons -- this could have been a really great meal, but it was only so-so. Any suggestions as to how to improve it would be most welcome.

[RyuShihan]

not so much an improvement but just other options.

If you prefer not to use the duxelle, try some scallop and shrimp mousse. I usually put it in the middle of 2 slabs of salmon with some good herbs that match sorta like dill. I personally also prefer to just buy the puff pastry.

[racheld]

What a great lesson in how-to!! It was pink and pretty as usual, and the broiler will never come into play again, so you know how gorgeous it will be next time.

And that seafood mousse sounds like a winner, as well.

I just can't resist prinking with a Wellington, and when you said leftover dough!!!

That would have called out every shape-cutter of the appropriate size in my considerable arsenal---the kids say I'm Cher in that Mermaid thing---I do love my cookie-cutters, though I've never had any success with picking up a rolled-out, cut-out cookie in my life.

And the egg wash is never a bad idea, especially if you stick lots of little leaves or fishies on with it, then give them a coat as well. More garniture, that's the ticket!!! It's like that adage: God does not subtract from the days of a life the time spent fishing.

Egg wash does not add to the egg count---it's just cosmetic, and therefore not part of the calories.

[bigbrowncow]

No doubt someone out there has got mustard and onion and mushrooms to work brilliantly, but I would go for something a bit gentler on salmon. I like to put some smoked salmon on top of the salmon and then some cream cheese. Or ricotta with spinach mixed in and some nutmeg.

I'll also sometimes make the whole shape very fishy and put some pastry fish scales and fins on. Just in case someone can't work out what they are eating

Are you happy with how you presented it?

How did your pastry turn out?

How else would you like to improve it?

Steve

[Grub]

Great feedback -- thanks guys.

I realize that this "demo" isn't exactly the best way to teach someone how to cook a perfect Salmon en Croûte, but I figure it might inspire someone to do better, or at least warn someone of the potential pitfalls... But equally important, I hope to learn something, by taking notes and pictures (which is a pretty big hassle in the cooking process -- especially when dealing with baking and other things that gets your hands dirty, so you've gotta keep cleaning them in between taking pictures) -- and a big part of that is of course the feedback I get...

Well, here's what I've learned, then:

The duxelle was definitely a little too hearty. I've used spinach many times before, and have been very happy with that. But the seafood mousse, and the smoked salmon and cream cheese both sounds like excellent ideas -- I'll definitely try that out next time around.

The pastry just wasn't as fluffy as store-bought puff pastry is, and I think that may be because I didn't fold it enough times. (I normally use supermarket puff pastry, but would like to be able to create something fairly similar by hand, if at all possible. I figure, if I can get it right, I can add flavors to the pastry itself, like I've done with some Jamaican Beef patties.)

I'm a little ashamed and/or stupid to admit this, but the pastry recipe I used was actually for a galette that I made recently -- it wasn't actually a specific puff pastry recipe. So I'm gonna look that up. D'oh.

Layering the "stuffing" in between the salmon seems like a very good idea, since it would allow me to use some pretty wet stuff, without worrying about making the pastry wrapping soggy. That's a keeper.

If the egg wash is needed, for that beautiful, golden crust, then the egg was is definitely a must.

I'll roll out the leftover dough and try cut out some decorative shapes -- should be fun.

Thanks a bunch!

[UnConundrum]

Thanks for such a great effort. The pictures certainly help someone starting out.

As to suggestions, I may be in the minority, but I think the duxelle is a good idea. The mushrooms hold moisture and flavor. I was a little surprised at the dijon. Don't know why, but that made me think of a preparation for smoker or grill. I'd think the mustard would be a little strong.

As to the puff pastry, I have no personal experience, but watched it being made once up at King Arthurs. Of course, they had all the right equipment. I think I remember they saying they'd never make it by hand LOL. One thing you didn't meniton is the type of flour you used. The idea here is that the butter forms layers that expand and cause the puffy texture. I'm not sure what role gluten plays here, I would think none, and it would tend to make the dough tuff instead of flakey.... Just my humble opinion. I'm thinking a lower protien or cake flour might give better results, but I'm sure someone with more experience will chime in. Also, I'd agree with you on the number of folds. Any puff pastry I've seen had no visible bits of butter.

In the back of my mind.... ...... is there something to how you fold as well.... something about the position changing and folds changing direction?

[Shalmanese]

Whatever you made there, it wasn't puff pastry. Puff pastry is a laminated dough which involves thin sheets of butter folded between a flour based dough. What you made is some kind of bastardised folded pie dough.

[Ling]

^Grub, perhaps you could look at the EG demo on puff pastry. That's the recipe I use.

If you want to make pie dough, I would suggest using pastry flour and working the dough a lot less. I barely touch the dough after I've incorporated the water--just a few tosses with the fork, and the dough isn't even holding together yet. Then I transfer the dough to a piece of plastic wrap, and wrap it up, squeezing it once to twice into a rough disc shape. I would not touch the dough with my hands as it warms the dough up a bit. You could also add a tiny bit of vinegar and baking soda to the dough to help with flakiness. (BTW, I brush the top of my pie crusts with egg white beaten with some water.)

Edited September 24, 2006 by Ling (log)

[chef koo]

for salmon roll the dough out thinner. you didn't make mention as to the doneness of the salmon. but rolling it thinner would not only lessen the chance of the salmon being over cooked or the dough being undercooked. and since it lessense the cooking time as well you'd have a better chance of not burning it. if you must have a nice puffy crust and want to keep it thick make cuts in it (preferably decorative) to make the pastry cook faster.

[Sam Salmon]

It's a wonderful report-Thanks for sharing.

It's true that's not Phyllo but the idea is similar.

The Duxelles I've had in the past w/Salmon in Phyllo were very creamy and I swear there was only one kind of mushroom-a mild one.

Only tried the same thing m'self once-used a Peanut Butter/Chile/tad of Mustard sauce quite tasty but altogether too much work.

[Chufi]

Grub,

I have used this pastry with succes for a similar dish:

flaky pastry

It's made by mixing grated frozen butter into the flour.

[Grub]

Okay, I'll have another stab at it this week. Thanks a ton for all the feedback -- I'm really grateful for the constructive suggestions, and I do appologize if I seem a tad stubborn, in that I'm not following everyone's advice.

I'll be using the same pastry recipe. I do agree with Shalmanese, that it is "...some kind of bastardised folded pie dough" -- but I want to give this technique/method another chance, since I obviously made a mistake in turning on the broiler. I will fold it a lot more, next time around though. The grated frozen butter method Chufi mentioned makes me think that you CAN make a good puff pastry dough in other ways, than the traditional method.

Of course, if I screw it up again, I just might have to reconsider -- and have a look at that EG demo on puff pastry Ling pointed out. Oh and yeah, I'll try some vinegar and baking soda too -- thanks.

I'll probably split the fillet horizontally and fill it with some cream cheese mixture -- smoked salmon, sauteéd shrimp, sliver-thinly sliced jalapenos, caramelized onions, something or other -- definitely no duxelles. We'll see.

[jackal10]

Well done:

A few points:

I use flaky pastry, store bought turned with some extra butter if I'm in a hurry.

A herb/dill forcemeat works well: breadcrumbs, herbs (parsley, dill rosemary), onion, salt, pepper, bind with egg. Go easy on the aggressive flavours - you want to be able to taste the fish.

I use two fillet head to tail and put the forcemeat between them That way there is more or less an even amount of fish in each portion,

Cut the pastry into a fish shape; make scales by marking the pastry with overlapping circles with a small round cutter, or a small wineglass, Add an eye and a mouth, then eggwash

Edited October 1, 2006 by jackal10 (log)

[ChefCrash]

Grub,

I have used this pastry with succes for a similar dish:

flaky pastry

It's made by mixing grated frozen butter into the flour.

←

Thanks Chufi for the link. Such a clever idea I had to try it.

I made this pastry for apple pie. After grating the frozen butter, only a fork was needed to fluff the butter/flour mixture, 30 seconds flat. Had to use about four times the amount of water though.

The pie looks great. Sorry no photos. I used up my allotment.

Grub , the only difference between this recipe and yours is the freezing part.

[Ling]

I'll be using the same pastry recipe. I do agree with Shalmanese, that it is "...some kind of bastardised folded pie dough" -- but I want to give this technique/method another chance, since I obviously made a mistake in turning on the broiler. I will fold it a lot more, next time around though. The grated frozen butter method Chufi mentioned makes me think that you CAN make a good puff pastry dough in other ways, than the traditional method.

←

Yes, that's true. You can make rough puff, but that's not what you're doing either. Also, the way you're working the dough will make a very tough pastry, if you keep folding it without leaving it time to rest. Once you add liquid to flour and start working it, you start developing gluten. To be honest, I can't imagine the pastry tasting very good, no matter how many times you fold it. And the pastry will just get tougher the more you work it.

Just curious--any reason why you want to do the pastry this way?

[Ling]

Grub,

I have used this pastry with succes for a similar dish:

flaky pastry

It's made by mixing grated frozen butter into the flour.

←

Thanks Chufi for the link. Such a clever idea I had to try it.

I made this pastry for apple pie. After grating the frozen butter, only a fork was needed to fluff the butter/flour mixture, 30 seconds flat. Had to use about four times the amount of water though.

The pie looks great. Sorry no photos. I used up my allotment.

Grub , the only difference between this recipe and yours is the freezing part.

←

Sorry, no, this is not the same thing that Grub is doing. The Delia recipe is a very basic pastry recipe most typically used for pies. Grub is folding and refolding the pastry in attempts to create something flaky and (presumably) tender and puff pastry-like.

There's nothing wrong with the Delia recipe, but I would add a tablespoon of sugar to aid in the browning, and 2 tbsp of water, as chefcrash found out, is probably not enough.

Edited October 2, 2006 by Ling (log)

[Grub]

Okay, so I had another go at it...

I'm still somewhat perplexed about what someone mentioned though -- if the dough gets though due to too much folding, how is puff pastry made? Isn't it made by folding the dough a lot?

I took advice from a few different areas this time around -- in addition to the flour, butter, salt and water, I also added some white wine vinegar and some baking soda. Also, I grated frozen butter, instead of working chunks of butter into the flour, like I did last time.

The result was really quite good. It was very crispy and flakey (and tasty), but I think possibly, it might have been a little thougher, or heavier, than commercial puff pastry...

Anyhow, here's a closeup of a bit of leftover dough that I baked -- very poorly focused shot, but you can see how it has puffed up and created layers (and that's with NO folding whatsoever):

And here's the fillet fully baked (with my oh-so artistic knifey slices):

Another bit of advice I took, was to place the "stuffing" inside the fillet, rather than just on top. Slicing the fillet horizontally was no problem. My choice of filling was perhaps not the best -- sautéed onions, garlic and anchovy paste mixed in cream cheese (I just heard of Pasta Puttanesca -- you gotta like a recipe with such a name -- Whore's Pasta, hehehe) was a little robust. But not overwhelming, though.

The overwhelming part of the meal, was handled by the blue cheese sauce... Well, here's the thing plated:

I WAS gonna do a Hollandaise sauce, but since I did that the last time, I figured I'd try something different... Idiot decision... A white sauce, and white vegetables -- duh. I'd absent-mindedly thought I'd get a yellow-ish cheese sauce and pour that over the cauliflower, but then I realized the only suitable cheese I had, was blue cheese. Seeing that they were both white, it would look too weird, so I plated the salmon on top of the sauce, which in turn made sure that the sauce could overwhelm it...

(I dove into the veggie drawer in a desperate search for some additional color, and came up with some parsley. Hoorah parsley!) Oh dear.

Looking at this, I'm thinking about doing a dinner party and only serve white food -- or some other uniform color. We eat with our eyes, so I'm wondering how that'd effect people... There's an amazing building north of San Diego; a Mormon Temple, that's completely white. I tried to go inside, but didn't get very far. There was a couple there, standing guard. Both very smartly dressed, except they were dressed in completely white clothing. White tie, white shirt, white jacket, white shoes, socks -- absolutely everything white. Equal parts neat, weird and eerie.

I think I wanna do the same thing, on a plate. Taters, broccoli, bechamel sauce and some white protein. Cod, chicken, pork. Hmmm.

[Ling]

Okay, so I had another go at it...

I'm still somewhat perplexed about what someone mentioned though -- if the dough gets though due to too much folding, how is puff pastry made? Isn't it made by folding the dough a lot?

←

Yes, puff pastry is done with folds and turns, but you allow the dough to relax in the fridge after each fold, so it takes quite a few hours to make from start to finish...even though the "active" time is not nearly that long.

In pie dough, you want to keep the fat solid and in pieces. As it melts, the water creates steam which in turn puffs up the dough so it becomes flaky. In puff pastry, the fat is laminated over each sheet of dough (which itself contains very little fat.) As the fat and steam melts, each layer is puffed up uniformly. It is therefore entirely different from pie dough, and refolding pie dough will just lead to the fat becoming increasingly incorporated into the dough (which is NOT what you want), and the dough also gets tougher the more you work it without resting.

Edited October 9, 2006 by Ling (log)

[ChefCrash]

It sure looks great Grub.