Sockeye Salmon Wellington Recipe (Wrangell-St. Elias National Park)

Sockeye salmon Wellington recipe inspired by: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park (alternatively: Katmai National Park, Lake Clark National Park, Glacier Bay National Park, Olympic National Park or North Cascades National Park)

The largest of all U.S. national parks, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park encompasses a vast area in southern Alaska. It comprises majestic mountain ranges, glaciers, wide river valleys, tundra, pristine forests, rugged coastlines and two major watersheds.

Few visitors penetrate the park’s sprawling wilderness areas, usually sticking to the few places that are accessible by car.

Those who do venture further from developed areas find nearly unlimited outdoor recreation opportunities, including some of America’s best sport fishing.

The National Park Service (NPS) says that “Wrangell-St. Elias is home to a tremendous array of fish resources.” There are hundreds of miles of streams supporting thriving populations of lots of different fish species, including salmon.

In fact, all five species of Pacific salmon are present in the park. Sockeye, chinook and coho salmon are most widespread, while pink and chum salmon live in select areas.

The prime salmon fishing location in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is the Copper River, providing “some of the finest salmon in the marketplace today,” according to the NPS.

So, with this in mind, I figured that Wrangell-St. Elias is the perfect national park with which to associate this savory sockeye salmon Wellington recipe. Only the finest salmon is good enough for this classy dish, which is surprisingly easy to make!

Wrangell-St. Elias Sockeye Salmon Wellington

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 45 minutes
• Total time: 60 minutes
• Servings: 2
• Calories per serving: 697

Salmon Wellington is also known as salmon en croûte (en croûte is French for something that’s wrapped in pastry dough and baked in the oven).

Similar to the more famous beef Wellington, this sockeye salmon Wellington recipe uses puff pastry, which has multiple layers that get flaky when baked.

Together, the soft flakiness of the puff pastry, the deep flavor of wild-caught sockeye salmon and the creaminess of the spinach filling create a dish worth raving about.

Topped with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and served with an herby sour cream sauce, this salmon Wellington recipe lets you impress guests and/or family members without having to learn any new cooking skills or kitchen tricks.

Super-delicious and so-so easy!

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Necessary Kitchen Tools

• Large non-stick sauté pan
• Large baking sheet
• Wooden spoon
• Cutting boards
• Chef’s knife
• Paring knife
• Spatula
• Teaspoons and tablespoons
• Measuring cups
• 2 small mixing bowls

What to Serve With Salmon Wellington?

This impressive looking national park dish can hold its own on a plate without any side dishes (except a creamy sauce).

Yet, for a full and balanced meal, you might want to whip up a quick side or two. They don’t need to be overly complicated, though. Great options for sides to serve with salmon Wellington include the following.

• Potato salad
• Mashed potatoes
• Roasted vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, green beans,…)
• Simple green salad

Yield: 2 servings

Wrangell-St. Elias Sockeye Salmon Wellington Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

The National Park Service says that the Copper River in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is home to "some of the finest salmon in the marketplace today."

This savory sockeye salmon Wellington recipe reflects the abundance and quality of the park's salmon population, an impressive dish that tastes amazing and is pretty easy to put together.

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Ingredients

• 2 6-oz wild-caught salmon fillets
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon light cream cheese
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon whole grain mustard, separated
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon white wine (optional)
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1 pack of puff pastry sheets, thawed in fridge
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

Herby Sour Cream Sauce

1. Mix sour cream, 1 minced garlic clove, honey, dill and 1/2 teaspoon of mustard in a small bowl.
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

Salmon Wellington

1. Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in the center. Keep salmon in the fridge while you prep the spinach filling.
2. Heat the tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
3. Sauté shallot until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add baby spinach, cup by cup, until wilted. Then add 3 minced garlic cloves and thyme, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. If using white wine, add it now and stir until alcohol has evaporated and liquid is slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.
5. Add cream cheese and stir until melted, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Keep stirring until everything is properly mixed and any liquids have reduced.
6. Remove pan from the heat and let cool slightly.
7. Beat the egg with about a teaspoon of water in a small bowl, creating an egg wash.
8. Unroll the sheet(s) of puff pastry on a large cutting board, smoothing it out as well as possible. Cut in half so you get two equal-sized sheets, one for each salmon fillet. (You may have to use a whole sheet per salmon fillet if they're large pieces; simply cut off any excess pastry dough in that case.)
9. Take salmon fillets out of the fridge and season with salt and pepper.
10. Spread 1/4 tablespoon of mustard on top of each salmon fillet.
11. Place salmon fillets mustard side down in the middle of the puff pastry sheets.
12. Spread the cream-cheese-and-spinach mixture on the salmon fillets, making sure it stays on top and doesn't fall off.
13. Now, fold the long edges of the puff pastry over the salmon and spinach mixture. Brush with egg wash.
14. Then, fold the short edges of the puff pastry over the salmon. Press gently to adhere to egg wash. Brush once again with a little more egg wash. (It's important to make sure that the salmon is completely covered with puff pastry!)
15. Flip the salmon Wellingtons over and place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
16. Brush the top with more egg wash. With a sharp knife, make shallow diagonal cuts in the top of each salmon Wellington. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
17. Bake the salmon Wellingtons in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, until puff pastry is golden brown.
18. Let cool slightly and serve with herby sour cream sauce and any sides you prefer.
19. Enjoy!

Notes

Note: I used Alaskan sockeye salmon in this salmon Wellington recipe, but you can, of course, use any type of salmon you like or can find. However, I would like to emphasize the importance of using wild-caught salmon, which is far, far superior to farm-raised salmon. Try to find wild-caught Pacific salmon, which is arguably the best salmon in the world.

Nutrition Information

Yield

2

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 697Total Fat 41gSaturated Fat 9.9gCholesterol 196mgSodium 1138mgCarbohydrates 38.3gFiber 4.4gSugar 6.5gProtein 45.6g

A general nutrition calculator was used to determine the nutritional information of this recipe, which is meant solely as an indication of the dish's nutritional values. Depending on specific ingredients, quantities used and/or serving size, the ultimate dish you end up making may have different nutritional aspects. Please consider the information provided here only as guidance and not as an absolute fact.

If You Decide to Make This Savory Wrangell-St. Elias National Park-Inspired Sockeye Salmon Wellington Recipe at Home, Feel Free to Tell Everyone About It Below! Happy Cooking!

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