A Bit of Christmas Deliciousness

Rather than posting a traditional Christmas treat recipe, I thought I would share a little piece of deliciousness that my Mom whipped up last Christmas Eve for dinner. It was a big hit with everyone, including B's parents and sister, who headed North to spend the holidays with us.

Yeah, so I didn't take this picture... the recipe is actually for smaller individually wrapped wellingtons! Why not try it out this holiday season. I promise, you won't be disappointed (unless you don't like fish... try something else!)


6 salmon fillets (skinned and de-boned)
2 pkg. puff pastry
½ lb. Button Mushrooms
6 oz Foie Gras or Chicken Liver, diced
2.5 c. Whipping Cream
½ lb. Baby Shrimp
3 Shallots, medium
2 egg yolk and 4 tbsp of milk whisked together for egg wash
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
2 tsp unsalted butter


Fish Mousse:
2 oz salmon
3 oz. whipping cream
1 egg white


Sauce:
¼ lb. unsalted butter
1c. pinot noir wine
1 medium shallot
½ tsp. liquid honey
1 sprig fresh thyme

Mushroom Duxelle: Trim and wash the mushrooms and cut them into quarters. Reserve on a plate. Chop the shallot and place half in a saucepan. Add ½ tsp of butter and sauté over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the mushroom and foie gras (or chicken liver) and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the cream and reduce until dry. Add salt and pepper. Let cool for a few minutes and place in a food processor to be chopped. Add the chopped parsley and mix. Place on a plate and keep refrigerated until needed.

Fish Mousse: In a clean food processor place the 2 oz salmon, add the salt and chop the salmon into a very thin mousse. Add the egg white and mix. Slowly add the 3 oz of cream and mix for one minute. Be careful not to over mix, the mousse will split. Remove mousse from the food processor and place in refrigerator until needed.

Salmon Wellington: Flour a dry counter or marble, and roll the puff pastry into a rectangle, 8” by 10”-about 1/8” thick. You will need enough dough to fold over the length of the salmon and make a sealed (rectangle will become 4 x 10). Evenly space the salmon fillets along bottom edge of the puff pastry. Leave a margin of pastry at edge to seal. Season with salt and pepper. Spread 2 tbsp of mousse evenly over each fillet. Brush the edges of the pastry with egg wash, taking care not to touch the salmon. Spread the creamy chopped mushroom mix evenly over the salmon fillet to coat it and keep it moist. Top the mushroom with shrimp meat. Fold puff pastry forward to completely cover salmon. Cut pastry between fillets. Press the edges together with a fork to seal and make a decorative pattern; trim edges neatly. Prick the pastry top decoratively to allow air to escape while baking. Place the Wellingtons on parchment paper on a baking tray. Brush the top with egg wash. Bake in the middle level of a pre-heated 400F oven for 15 minutes then turn the heat to 375F for an additional 15 minutes. The Wellington should be a nice golden brown color. Remove from the oven.

Serve the Wellington with seasonal vegetables and pinot noir butter sauce.

Pinot Noir Butter Sauce (to be prepared while Wellington is baking): In a sauce pan over medium heat, place the remaining chopped shallot. Pour in the red wine and honey. Reduce until almost dry and add the remaining cream. Reduce 1/2 cup cream to half and turn heat to low. Slowly whisk in the butter. Whisk constantly until butter is fully combined in reduction. Pour the sauce through a strainer into a clean saucepan. Discard the remaining solids. Adjust the seasoning and set aside.

Hint: If you like, you can prepare this recipe the day before and bake the next day

A little bit of a different taste for the holidays - but absolutely delicious! If you try it out - let me know what you think!
Happy Cooking!