I kicked that salmon's ass!

Sorry for the cuss word, but that was the first thing that came to mind after I ate supper tonight. I took that salmon, I showed it who's boss, and I made the best damn meal EVER! And guess what? It's one of those fabulous recipes where it sounds all fancy and your dinner guests would rant and rave over it, and really it was insanely simple to make.

It all started when I got over 300 people to "like" my Facebook page (if you don't "like" me yet on Facebook, please take a minute to remedy that.) I thought this called for a celebration - a fancy new salmon recipe! I googled Salmon Wellington and found this recipe from Canadian Living. I made a few modifications based on what was available at the grocery store, and it turned out perfectly!

SALMON WELLINGTON SUPREME

1 lb. skinless boneless salmon filet

1/2 pkg. (1 square) puff pastry

lots of spinach (recipe called for 8 c. - I probably used 3/4 of a bag of baby spinach)

1 - 1 1/2 c. cooked baby shrimp (recipe called for halibut, but any seafood would do)

1 egg (white & yolk separated)

1 c. whipping cream (divided)

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. fresh basil

salt & pepper, to taste

2 leeks (approx. 3/4 c.), finely sliced (recipe called for shallots, but there weren't any at the store)

1/2 c. white wine

1/2 c. butter, cubed

First, prepare the stuffing: In a food processor, combine shrimp, egg white, 1/2 c. whipping cream, lemon juice, basil, salt & pepper. Blend together and then refrigerate for an hour. (Not sure if that's necessary, but I did it anyway.)

Blanch spinach in boiling water and pat dry on a towel. (I trimmed the stems off the spinach - very time consuming, probably wouldn't bother with it next time.) Roll out puff pastry on a floured surface. It should be slightly longer and almost twice as wide as your piece of salmon. Transfer pastry to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with spinach (leaving a couple inches around the edges) and then spread half the stuffing mixture overtop. Lay salmon on top (I cut slits in the salmon just to ensure it would cook evenly.) Top with the remaining stuffing mixture. In a small dish, mix the egg yolk with a bit of water and brush it around the edges of the pastry. Fold up the top and bottom edges, overlapping in the middle of the salmon to seal it, and then close up the ends. Brush with egg yolk mixture and cut a few slits along the top. Bake at 400 F for 30 minutes.

While baking, sauté leeks in a bit of butter until they are soft. Transfer to a saucepan and add 1/2 c. white wine. Bring to a boil and then simmer until wine has evaporated. Add 1/2 c. whipping cream and simmer for 4-5 minutes, then stir in cubes of butter and stir until melted. Season with pepper, then pour a little on each plate before placing the pieces of salmon wellington on top.

I wish we would have had friends over tonight to share in this wonderful meal. It's perfect for a dinner party - looks fancy, easy to serve, and it makes a huge amount (you could easily have 8 servings.) The whole family ate it (even William!)