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Hot-smoked salmon vol-au-vents

Name: Hot-smoked salmon vol-au-vents
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: puff pastry 500g block; plain flour, for dusting; eggs 2, beaten; unsalted butter 2 tbsp; shallots 2 long, peeled and finely chopped; white or sparkling wine 250ml; double cream 200ml; wholegrain mustard 2 tbsp; hot-smoked salmon 400g, flaked; salmon roe 50g, (optional); lemon ½, juiced; chives a handful, finely chopped

1 hour 15 minutes + freezing
serves 6 as a starter
Easy

Make at-home entertaining even easier with these hot-smoked salmon vol-au-vents that can be rustled up ahead of time. Simply re-heat and assemble to serve!

By Adam Bush

Published: August 13, 2021 at 10:17 am

Make these smoked salmon vol-au-vents, then check out our prawn vol-au-vents, hot-smoked salmon mini quiches, gravadlax and more starters recipes.

Ingredients

puff pastry 500g block
plain flour for dusting
eggs 2, beaten
unsalted butter 2 tbsp
shallots 2 long, peeled and finely chopped
white or sparkling wine 250ml
double cream 200ml
wholegrain mustard 2 tbsp
hot-smoked salmon 400g, flaked
salmon roe 50g, (optional)
lemon ½, juiced
chives a handful, finely chopped

Method

Step 1

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface until about 40 x 40cm. Use a round 12cm cutter to cut 12 circles from the pastry. Put six of the circles on a baking tray lined with baking paper, then use a round 8cm cutter to stamp out the middles of the remaining six circles to make rings.
Step 2

Brush the six rings with some of the beaten egg, then neatly lay one ring over each whole pastry circle. Prick the middles all over with a fork. Put the stamped-out middles on the baking tray, too – these can be used as lids for the vol-au-vents, if you like – and brush all the pastry with a little more of the beaten egg. Chill for 20 minutes.
Step 3

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Brush all the pastry again with the remaining beaten egg, then bake for 20 minutes until risen and golden. Cool completely, then wrap well and freeze for up to three months.
Step 4

To defrost, heat the oven to 140C/fan 120C/gas 1, unwrap the pastry cases and put on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until fully defrosted and crisp. Cool until needed.
Step 5

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the shallots with a large pinch of salt for 5-10 minutes or until softened. Pour in the wine and reduce by half, then pour in the cream and reduce again until saucy. Stir in the mustard, then flake in the salmon and continue to cook for a few minutes to warm through. When ready to serve, gently stir in the salmon roe (if using), lemon juice and chives, then season. Spoon the filling into the vol-au-vent cases, top with the lids, if you like, and serve.