Salmon Wellington

This is adapted from a recipe in the Sainsbury’s Magazine. It’s not at all difficult, tastes fab, and probably counts as one of my son’s favourite dinners!

Ingredients

• 1 pack soft cream cheese
• some fresh or dried dill
• large handful spinach (fresh or frozen)
• 5 or 6 skinless, boneless salmon fillets
• 2 packs of fresh puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten

Method

1. Lightly cook the spinach (I usually do it in the microwave) and then squeeze excess water out with your hands
2. Mix the cream cheese with dill and add freshly ground pepper to taste.
3. Roll out the pasty, cut it into squares or rectangles each of which must be big enough for one salmon fillet NB I usually do 2 smaller ones for my ds with half a salmon fillet in each
4. Place a salmon fillet on each pastry square, top with spinach and then a good blob of the cream cheese mixture.
5. Fold the corners of the pastry together to make a parcel.
6. Brush with the beaten egg.
7. Chill in the refridgerator for 30 mins.
8. In the mean time, heat the oven to 220°C.
9. Poke a couple of steam holes in each parcel, then bake on a foil-lined tray on the top shelf of the oven for about 20 mins, until golden.

I usually cut the little parcel for ds up into 4 pieces, which makes it easier for him to eat (sometimes he uses his hands, sometimes he’ll eat off a pre-loaded fork) and cools it down quicker.

You can serve them with a vegetable on the side – both steamed green beans or broccoli go very well.

These are also excellent eaten cold the next day for lunch!

 

Grilled Polenta Fingers

This turned out to be a real hit, and not only with ds. I usually make a trayful and we have it for lunch for a couple of days.

Ingredients

• a small onion, finely chopped
• clove of garlic, crushed
• approx. 50g fresh or frozen spinach
• approx. 25g parmesan, grated
• approx. 25g cheddar, grated
• 80g polenta
• butter or oil for frying
• freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat oil or butter in frying pan and fry onion until softened.
2. Add garlic and spinach and fry for a few minutes
3. Remove from heat and set aside
4. Cook polenta according to instructions (it should be thick rather than thin)
5. Stir in the onion and spinach mixture, the cheeses and pepper.
6. Line a small baking tin (mine is about 25 x 22cm) with baking parchement and lightly grease the sides with oil or butter
7. Pour the polenta mixture in and spread it out evenly
8. Leave to cool completely (I usually leave it in the fridge overnight and then continue the next day when I need it)
9. When cool, turn it out and cut into thick fingers or slices.
10. Arrange on a baking sheet, brush with a little olive oil and grill under a hot grill for about 5 mins on each side until light brown and crisp
11. Serve when slightly cooled down

These also taste great cold or heated up for a moment in the microwave.

Variation

• only using strong, mature cheddar
• finely sliced broccoli, mushrooms and onions
• leaving out the garlic, but adding a spoonful of whole grain mustard and some dried mixed herbs