Salmon en croûte with lemon-dill and spinach
A festive, showstopping salmon parcel—golden puff pastry, lemon-dill cream and a spinach cushion. Perfect for a relaxed Christmas Eve.
Salmon en croûte is my go-to when I want something that feels festive but doesn’t require a three-hour roast and 12 pots. The crisp, buttery pastry hides a silky, lemony salmon and a cushion of spinach—impressive on the table, surprisingly simple to pull off.
It’s ideal for Christmas Eve: make the parcel earlier and pop it in the fridge so all you need to do is bake and relax with a glass of something fizzy. Serve with simple buttered new potatoes or a peppery salad to balance the richness.
Ingredients
- 800 g salmon fillet — skinless, one central piece for even thickness
- 375 g puff pastry — ready-rolled block, thawed if frozen
- 1 brown onion
- 200 g spinach — fresh
- 25 g butter
- 30 ml Dijon mustard
- 30 ml double cream
- 1 egg — beaten for egg wash
- 10 g fresh dill
- 15 g plain flour — for dusting
- 5 ml sea salt
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 1 lemon — zest only
Equipment
- rolling pin
- baking tray/tin
- pastry brush
- instant-read thermometer
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional. Line a baking tray/tin with baking parchment.
Finely slice the brown onion. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and sauté the onion until soft and translucent, 6–8 minutes. Add the spinach in batches and cook until just wilted, about 2–3 minutes more. Remove from the heat, tip into a sieve and press to drain. Leave to cool in the sieve for 10 minutes.
In a small bowl combine the Dijon mustard, double cream and the lemon zest. Season with half the sea salt and half the black pepper. Taste and adjust.
Transfer the drained, cooled spinach to a piece of kitchen paper and press to remove any remaining liquid; finely chop and mix with about one-third of the mustard-cream mixture to bind. Reserve the remaining mustard-cream to spread on the fish.
Season the salmon fillet with the remaining sea salt and black pepper. Dust your work surface lightly with plain flour and roll the puff pastry to make a rectangle large enough to enclose the fish (about 35 x 30 cm). Spread the remaining mustard-cream down the centre of the pastry, top with the chopped spinach, then lay the salmon on top. Scatter the fresh dill over the salmon.
Bring the pastry up over the salmon to encase it, trimming any excess. Crimp the edges to seal; use any trimmings to decorate the top if you like. Brush all over with the beaten egg. Transfer the parcel to the prepared baking tray/tin and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
Brush again with egg and bake in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes until the pastry is deep golden. Use an instant-read thermometer if you have one — the thickest part of the salmon should read 50–52°C for moist, slightly rare centre; 55°C for firmer but still tender.
Leave to rest for 5 minutes on the tray, then transfer to a board and slice thickly to serve.
Tips
- Dry your spinach properly — pack it in kitchen paper and squeeze; soggy spinach is the most common cause of a damp pastry base.
- Chill the assembled parcel for at least 30 minutes. It helps the pastry keep its shape and stop the buttery layers leaking out.
- Use an instant-read thermometer if you have one: 50–52°C in the thickest part keeps the salmon moist.
- If your puff pastry is very cold from the fridge it may crack when folded — leave it 5–10 minutes on the counter to become pliable, but not soft.
- Leftovers (if any) are good cold the next day in slices, or reheat gently in a low oven (160°C fan/180°C conventional) for 10–12 minutes to avoid drying the fish.
Substitutions
salmon fillet → trout fillet, same weight
Stays closepuff pastry → rough puff pastry or shop-made block pastry of equal weight
Stays closedouble cream → crème fraîche, same quantity
Stays closefresh dill → flat-leaf parsley, same quantity
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 960
- Calories
- 42 g
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I assemble this earlier in the day?
Yes — assemble and chill the parcel up to 6 hours ahead. Keep it covered in the fridge and bake straight from chilled.
How do I avoid a soggy base?
Drain and press the spinach very well, dust the pastry with plain flour and chill the parcel before baking. Avoid wet fillings or using too much cream.
What internal temperature should the salmon reach?
Aim for 50–52°C for a moist centre; 55°C if you prefer it firmer. Remember carryover cooking after it's out of the oven.
Can I freeze the assembled parcel?
You can freeze before baking for up to 1 month. Bake from frozen, adding 10–15 minutes to the cooking time and checking temperature carefully.
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