Today, November 24, our neighbors to the south are celebrating Thanksgiving. Over the years, Brion and I have been in the USA numerous times on this occasion and enjoyed the food and holiday atmosphere very much. Today’s blog post acknowledges the American holiday with some special meal choices.
At the heart of a memorable dinner is the main entree, so why not make it just a bit more special by serving it ‘En Croute’. In the culinary arts, the term en croute (pronounced ‘on Kroot’) indicates a food that has been wrapped in a pastry dough and then baked in the oven. Traditionally the type of pastry used was a simple dough called pate pastry. Today, puff pastry is frequently used for most en croute recipes.
The key to preparing items en croute is that however long it takes to cook the pastry until it is golden brown is how long the item will spend in the oven. Some of the best choices are beef tenderloin, salmon or a brie cheese, due to the fact they require less time to cook.
In the 1950’s and 60’s, Beef Wellington or as the French called it, ‘Boeuf en Croute’, became very popular. It was an elegant meal, using a beef tenderloin covered with liver pate and wrapped in pastry. My first introduction to this meal was a much more low key version. It was simply achieved by making a nicely seasoned meatloaf, wrapping it a basic pastry and baking it. My mother would serve it with a tomato soup sauce. Definitely good but not quite the elegance of the true en croute entrees.
Two favorites of mine are variations of the classic ‘boeuf en croute’. One uses boneless turkey breast topped with a cranberry, hazelnut stuffing and baked in a tender puff pastry then served with a citrus-fig cranberry sauce. The other one is a seafood en croute using fresh salmon. The salmon is topped with shrimp or scallops in a seasoned egg/cream mixture and baked in puff pastry. A dill cream sauce is served to compliment this entree. Having a few alternatives to change out your traditional holiday meals always keeps it interesting.
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- 2 sheets (12 x 12-inches) frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 1/2 - 2 lbs (680 - 908 grams) uncooked turkey breast
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp butter,
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped
- 2 cups dry bread crumbs,
- few Tbsp turkey or chicken stock
- 1 1/2 tbsp dry, chopped fresh thyme
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 egg plus 2 Tbsp water (beaten together for egg wash)
- 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup dried figs, chopped
- 1/2 tsp finely minced orange zest
- 1/2 tsp finely minced lemon zest
- 1 orange (juice only)
- 1 lemon (juice only)
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 star anise OR 1/4 - 1/2 tsp anise extract (optional)
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 4 - 6 oz (170 grams) EACH salmon fillets
- 4 oz (113 grams) fresh baby scallops or shrimp
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
- 1/2 tsp fresh dill, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tsp basil pesto (optional)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1 egg white
- 1 whole egg, lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried dill
- Saute garlic & onions in olive oil & butter 1-2 minutes. Add bread crumbs; toss until they begin to brown slightly. Add hazelnuts, thyme, cranberries, salt & pepper. Add only enough turkey stock to make stuffing hold together.
- Place the first pastry sheet on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place turkey breast along the center line of the pastry sheet. Brush the edges of the pastry with egg wash. Place stuffing on top of the turkey. Place the second pastry sheet over the turkey & stuffing. Trim the edges to form an oval shape. Save the trimmings in the fridge.
- Bring the edges of the dough together & seal by pinching them. Roll the dough from the bottom layer over the top layer & press down all the way around the perimeter of the pastry. This creates a tighter seal. Brush egg wash over the entire surface of the pastry. Decorate, cutting leaf shapes from trimmed pastry & score leaf veining into them with the tip of a sharp knife. Cut four 1/2" slots in the top of the pastry to let steam escape. Chill for 20 minutes or longer in the fridge before baking. This helps the pastry to puff.
- Bake at 400 F. for about 15-20 minutes then reduce the heat to 350 F. Use a meat thermometer to make sure that the center has reached at least 170 F. to be sure the turkey is completely cooked, about 35-45 minutes longer. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting into servings.
- Simmer all ingredients together slowly for 30-40 minutes or until the cranberries are fully cooked & the mixture reduces & thickens to a jam-like consistency. Stir the sauce often as it simmers. Remove the star anise (if using). Store in a plastic container in refrigerator until serving time.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll each pastry sheet into a 12 x 10-inch rectangle. Cut each sheet into four 6 x 5-inch rectangles. Place a salmon fillet in center of four rectangles.
- In a small bowl, combine the shrimp (or scallops), cream, onions, parsley, dill, garlic, pesto, salt & pepper. In another small bowl, beat egg white on medium speed until soft peaks form; fold into shrimp mixture. Spoon about 1/4 cup over each fillet.
- Top each with a pastry rectangle & crimp to seal. With a sharp knife, cut several slits in the top to let steam escape. Place on a 15 x 10 x 1-inch parchment lined baking sheet; brush with egg wash. Bake at 400 F. for 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160 F.
- Mix all ingredients & refrigerate until serving time.
- The original recipe source for the Cranberry Hazelnut Turkey & Citrus Fig Cranberry Sauce can be found at rockrecipes.com
- The cranberry sauce uses star anise or extract but feel free to omit it if you do not care for that flavor.
- The Seafood en Croute recipe is one that is featured on tasteofhome.com which has always been my favorite 'go-to' recipe company forever.