This post may contain affiliate links.
(Gets up on soap box)
I am so tired of puff pastry. Everybody and their mother serves something made with puff pastry when they are trying to make a fancy meal. I mean, yeah, puff pastry tastes good- it’s dough and fat, why wouldn’t it taste good? But give me a break, there are other ways to make a delicious appetizer without resorting to puff pastry. Alot of times I think people use puff pastry just for the wow factor and not because it actually adds to the taste of the dish.
(Gets down from soap box)
While debating appetizer options a week or two ago, I decided it was time to finally cave and break out the puff pastry. I made salmon en croute, and it was a big hit. The flaky dough really does go well with the salmon.
Let the puff pastry thaw in the fridge or at room temp until just pliable. Use a rolling pin to roll it out so it’s a bit larger. Liberally spread the puff pastry with basil pesto. If you don’t have or want store bought pesto, then just puree basil with olive oil and some lemon juice. Place a raw salmon filet (skinless) in the center of the puff pastry. Fold the long edges over the salmon and flip the log over so that the seam side is down. Use the tines of a fork to press the short ends closed, and use a sharp knife to cut slits in the top of the log.
I actually used 1 and a half salmon filets for each of the logs pictured.
Brush the log with an egg yolk wash, and cook at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the puff pastry in golden. The cooking time and temperature will be sufficient to cook the salmon filet inside the puff pastry.
You can serve this as a main course, or slice it up for a fancy appetizer.
