Fresh Salmon Tartlets with a Dill Reduction

So something fishy for this weeks recipe.  This is a lovely, simple recipe I have done for years.  It was my first rather smart starter that I tested out on unassuming friends in the relatively early days of my cooking escapades.  And I thought as we are potentially able to start entertaining a little more from a few weeks time, some of you might be ready for something simple yet yummy to kick things off.

Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, and a great source of protein salmon is a beautifully easy fish to cook, but also very easy to over cook.  It’s delicious baked, wrapped in foil or baking parchment with just a little olive oil or butter and a squeeze of lemon added, but what it really tastes good with is buttery puff pastry.  I’d love to now go into ecstasies over the wonderful therapeutic joys of making your own puff pastry, but I’m afraid it is the one thing I nearly always buy.  I have rather laborious memories of making it in Home Ec at school, and it taking the whole triple lesson just to make the pastry!  So give yourself a break and buy the pastry my friends.

Dill and salmon are the perfect partners, and together with the buttery, creamy reduction elevates this to a dinner party worthy starter…well, I think so.

Fondest love,Lucy xxx 

Fresh Salmon Tartlets with a Dill Reduction 

Serves 6 as a starter

500g fresh salmon fillet (half a side, or equivalent weight in fillets)

1 x pack puff pastry

25g butter

3 shallots finely chopped or 1 echalion shallot

150ml white wine

80ml white wine vinegar

55ml double cream

110g butter, chilled and cut into cubes

Lemon juice to taste

2 tblsp chopped dill

1. Preheat your oven to 200 C.
2. Start by making the tartlets.  Roll out your puff pastry on a floured surface into a round of approx 0.5cm thick.  Use a saucer or upturned small bowl and cut the pastry into six 10cm rounds.
3. Prick the rounds all over with a fork and place on a baking tray and into the oven for approx 10 minutes or until golden brown. Keep checking as this timing will really depend on your ovens temperament!  Set aside to cool.

1. Next make your reduction.  Start by melting the 25g butter over a medium heat, and then add the shallots and cook until soft but not browned.  
2. Add the wine and white wine vinegar and simmer, reducing it to just over a tablespoon.
3. Whisk in the cream and cubes of butter, over a gentle heat.
4. Take off the heat and season with salt and pepper.  Add the chopped dill and lemon juice to taste.

1. Next using a long bladed knife take the skin off the salmon and cut slices off the salmon approx 1cm thick.  If you angle the knife at about 45 degrees you will get some good, wide slices.
2. Lay the slices over the tartlets one at a time, starting at the top of the round and lay as if you were doing a salmon rainbow to cover the tart, overlapping slightly as you go.

1. Heat up your grill, and then place the tarts on the baking tray under the grill….for a matter of minutes! My grill gets super hot and so they only take between 2-3 minutes, to cook the salmon and heat the tarts.  Please keep an eye on these, it would be such a shame to singe the sides just before serving!
2. Serve immediately, with a generous drizzle (approx a tblsp)  of the warm dill reduction over the top, and pop the rest of the reduction into jug.

This a great one to do for a dinner party as you can make the sauce ahead of time, cook the puff pastry rounds, then you just need to arrange the salmon and pop under the grill just before you’re ready to go.  I also sometimes serve these for lunch with a lovely, crisp green salad.