Salmon in a Pastry Boat with Pesto

This is a fairly simple recipe that really presents well on the plate. It tastes pretty good too!

Dec 17, 2014

METHOD: Four basic steps: (A) Spread a small amount of pesto (store bought or your own) over a rectangle of puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm in the freezer section) cut slightly larger than the salmon fillet. (B) Grill the skinless salmon fillets in a little olive oil for 45 seconds each side adding a bit of S&P (this gets the fish slightly cooked and imparts a nice, toastie sheen to the outside). (C) Remove the slightly cooked fillet(s) from the pan and place on top of the pesto..you can trim the outer edges of the pastry bed to about 1/4 inch around the fillet. (D) Place on a baking sheet in a pre-heated 400 degree oven. Bake for about 25 minutes, or earlier if the puff pastry reaches a nice golden color.

Serve immediately.

CHEFS NOTE:
The pesto is a wonderful addition to the salmon...but you could just as easy eliminate it, or perhaps substitute salsa. Serve with fresh veggies, but no need to add a starch (rice/pototoes) since the puff pastry bed takes care of that! If you have a non-stick cooking mat, this is a good time to use it..otherwise keep your baking sheet clean by lining it with parchment paper or tin foil.