Delia Smith Salmon En Croute

If you want a dish that looks like you spent all day on it — but secretly didn’t — Delia Smith’s Salmon En Croute is the one to have in your back pocket.
Flaky golden pastry, rich salmon, fresh herbs, creamy cheese — all wrapped up and baked until it’s bubbling and glorious.

It’s the sort of thing you pull out for a birthday, a dinner party, or when you just feel like showing off a bit. But really? It’s dead simple once you know the trick.

Why You’ll Love It

• Rich, buttery pastry wrapped around juicy salmon
• Cream cheese and herbs keep it moist and packed with flavour
• Stunning centrepiece with minimal actual fuss
• Can prep ahead, bake later
• Always gets a “wow” when you slice it open

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 50g flaky sea salt
• 25g demerara sugar
• 2 x 500g skinless, boneless salmon fillets
• 75g watercress, chopped
• 200g cream cheese
• 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• Pinch of smoked salt (optional, but lush)
• 500g block all-butter puff pastry
• Flour (for dusting)
• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded, sliced thin
• 1 red onion, finely sliced
• 100ml cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar

How to Make Delia Smith’s Salmon En Croute

Cure the salmon first:
Mix the sea salt and sugar. Coat the salmon fillets in it. Cover and refrigerate for 12–48 hours depending how much time you’ve got.

Rinse and dry:
After curing, rinse the fillets thoroughly under cold water. Pat dry with kitchen roll.

Make the filling:
Stir together the watercress, cream cheese, dill, lemon zest and juice, pinch of smoked salt (if using), and a bit of black pepper.

Roll out the pastry:
Dust your surface with flour. Roll the pastry to about the thickness of a £1 coin. Big enough to fit the salmon stacked up.

Assemble it:
Lay one fillet down. Spread with the cream cheese mix. Lay the second fillet on top.

Wrap it up:
Fold the pastry over to seal it completely. Trim off any extra. Press the edges tight. Crimp if you like. Chill the whole thing for 30 minutes to firm up.

Decorate (optional but classy):
Score a fish-scale pattern lightly on top with a knife. Chill again for another 30 minutes.

Bake it:
Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan).
Brush the pastry with egg yolk. Bake for 20 minutes. Lower the heat to 180°C (160°C fan) and bake another 20 minutes.
Let it sit for 10 minutes before slicing — that’s important so everything holds.

Quick-pickle side:
Mix the sliced cucumber and onion with cider vinegar and sugar. Let it marinate while the salmon bakes.

Slice and serve.

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

• Pastry splitting open?
  Chill it properly before baking. Always.
• Dry salmon?
  Don’t overbake. It keeps cooking a bit while it rests.
• Filling leaking out?
  Seal those pastry edges well. Press and crimp.
• Soggy bottom?
  Roll the pastry thick enough to handle the juices.

Storage

• Fridge:
  Cool leftovers, then wrap tightly. Keeps up to 2 days.
• Freezer:
  Wrap tightly (plastic + foil) before baking if freezing. Thaw overnight in fridge before baking.

What to Serve with Salmon En Croute

• Light mixed greens with a citrus vinaigrette
• Steamed asparagus or tender green beans
• Roasted new potatoes or crushed herby potatoes
• Pickled cucumber and red onion salad on the side
• Chilled white wine or a sharp gin and tonic — can’t go wrong

Quickfire FAQs

Can I substitute cream cheese?
Yep — ricotta works beautifully. Even thick Greek yogurt if you’re feeling lighter.

How do I keep the pastry from cracking?
Chill it after assembling. Handle it gently. Don’t stretch it tight.

Can I prep ahead?
Absolutely. Assemble it up to 24 hours before, then bake straight from the fridge.

Why does it need two baking temperatures?
High heat puffs up the pastry, lower heat finishes cooking the salmon gently.

Nutrition (Per Serving)

• Calories: 619 kcal
• Fat: 43g
• Saturated fat: 16g
• Carbs: 24g
• Sugars: 5g
• Fibre: 3g
• Protein: 32g
• Salt: 2.1g

Try More Recipes:

• Delia Smith Squidgy Chocolate Log
• Delia Smith Leeks In Cheese Sauce
• Delia Smith Lemon Cheesecake Recipe
• Delia Smith Carbonara