Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Salmon Wellington with Quark Pastry
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
1 hour (plus 30 minutes chilling)
45 minutes
Serves:
6-8 servings
Brendan Lynch approached the Bake Off tent like a laboratory—precise, methodical, and always ready to explain the science behind his choices. For Pie Week's Signature, he created a Salmon Wellington wrapped in Scandinavian-style quark pastry, a technique that had Mary Berry genuinely excited: "I've never had a quark pastry, and so this is really exciting." Brendan explained his formula with characteristic exactitude: "Equal quantities of butter, strong flour and quark. Half a teaspoon of baking powder. Normally they put in one to one and a half, but I'm reducing it because the more baking powder you put in, it loses its flakiness." Paul Hollywood approved the execution: "I think you've got a decent bake on the outside. You got a little bit of a crisp there." Mary praised both presentation and flavor: "Looks very nice on the plate when you serve it. And what lovely contrasting colors."
ON BRENDAN'S PRECISION: Brendan's formula is unusually precise for a Bake Off contestant: "equal quantities of butter, strong flour and quark." This 1:1:1 ratio creates a rich, tender pastry where the quark provides both binding and subtle tang. His deliberate reduction of baking powder demonstrates deep understanding—more leavening would compromise the flakiness that makes this pastry special.
ON QUARK: Quark is a fresh dairy product popular in German and Scandinavian baking—somewhere between yogurt and cream cheese, with a mild tang and smooth texture. If unavailable, the best substitute is equal parts whole-milk Greek yogurt and cream cheese, blended smooth. An acceptable substitute is full-fat ricotta, drained and blended smooth.
ON THE LAYERING: Mary praised the "lovely contrasting colors"—the layers should be visible when sliced. Build them carefully and evenly for that beautiful cross-section: white rice with green herbs, dark mushroom-spinach, pale yellow egg, pink salmon, all wrapped in golden pastry.
ON MOISTURE CONTROL: The biggest threat to a Wellington is soggy pastry. Every component must be completely cool and as dry as possible: cool rice on a plate not piled in a bowl, cook mushrooms until completely dry, press spinach firmly, and pat salmon dry before seasoning.
ON DONENESS: Salmon continues cooking during the 10-minute rest. For just-cooked, silky salmon, remove when the internal temperature reads 125°F (52°C). For those who prefer more well-done salmon, 140°F (60°C) is appropriate.
Quark pastry dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month; thaw overnight in refrigerator before rolling. Rice, mushroom-spinach, and egg layers can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated separately; bring to room temperature before assembling. Assembled Wellington (unbaked) can be refrigerated up to 8 hours before baking; add 5 minutes to baking time if cold from refrigerator. Baked Wellington is best served immediately; leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, though pastry won't be quite as crisp.
VARIATIONS
SMOKED SALMON VERSION: Replace fresh salmon with 12 oz smoked salmon, layered in thin slices. Reduce baking time to 25-30 minutes.
VEGETARIAN WELLINGTON: Replace salmon with a thick layer of seasoned roasted butternut squash or portobello mushroom caps.
COULIBIAC STYLE: Add a layer of cooked kasha (buckwheat groats) and increase the dill for a more traditional Russian approach.
INDIVIDUAL WELLINGTONS: Divide components among 6 portions, wrapping each in smaller pastry rectangles. Reduce baking time to 25-30 minutes.
HERB CRUST VARIATION: Before wrapping in pastry, coat the salmon in a mixture of fresh dill, parsley, and lemon zest for an even more vibrant herb presence.
Ingredients
FOR THE QUARK PASTRY:
1½ cups (190g) bread flour (strong flour)
1½ cups (340g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1½ cups (340g) quark, cold
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
FOR THE SALMON FILLING:
1½ lbs (680g) salmon fillet, skin removed, pin bones removed
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
FOR THE RICE LAYER:
½ cup (100g) basmati or long-grain rice
1 cup (240ml) water
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chives, minced
Zest of 1 lemon
FOR THE MUSHROOM-SPINACH LAYER:
2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely minced
8 oz (225g) cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz (170g) fresh spinach
2 tablespoons dry white wine
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE EGG LAYER:
3 large eggs, hard-boiled
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR ASSEMBLY AND FINISHING:
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)
Flaky sea salt
Sesame seeds or poppy seeds (optional)
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Instructions
MAKE THE QUARK PASTRY:
1. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to distribute evenly.
2. Add cold butter cubes. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Work quickly to keep butter cold.
3. Add cold quark. Mix with a fork or your hands until dough just comes together—it will be soft and slightly sticky. Do not overwork.
4. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a rectangle. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (up to overnight).
PREPARE THE RICE:
5. Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear.
6. Combine rice, water, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15-18 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is tender.
7. Fluff with a fork, stir in butter, dill, chives, and lemon zest. Season to taste. Spread on a plate to cool completely.
PREPARE THE MUSHROOM-SPINACH LAYER:
8. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and cook until softened, 2 minutes.
9. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid and it evaporates, 8-10 minutes. The mushrooms should be quite dry.
10. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
11. Add wine and cook until evaporated.
12. Add spinach in handfuls, stirring until wilted. Cook until any liquid evaporates completely.
13. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a plate and cool completely. Press with paper towels to remove any remaining moisture.
PREPARE THE EGG LAYER:
14. Peel hard-boiled eggs and chop finely.
15. Mix with mayonnaise, mustard, and dill. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
PREPARE THE SALMON:
16. Season salmon fillet on both sides with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice.
17. If salmon fillet is very thick, you may briefly sear it in a hot pan for 1 minute per side to develop color. Otherwise, use raw; it will cook through during baking.
ASSEMBLE THE WELLINGTON:
18. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
19. On a lightly floured surface, roll quark pastry into a rectangle approximately 14x12 inches, large enough to fully encase the salmon with a 2-inch border on all sides.
20. Transfer pastry to prepared baking sheet.
21. Build the layers in the center of the pastry, leaving borders clear: First, spread the cooled rice in an even layer the size of the salmon fillet. Next, spread the mushroom-spinach mixture over the rice. Then, spread the egg mixture over the mushrooms. Finally, place the salmon fillet on top.
22. Brush pastry borders with egg wash.
23. Fold the short ends of the pastry over the salmon first, then fold the long sides up and over, pressing to seal. Pinch seams firmly.
24. Carefully flip the Wellington seam-side down. Tuck ends under neatly.
25. Brush entire surface generously with egg wash. Score decorative lines or patterns with a sharp knife if desired—be careful not to cut through.
26. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and seeds if using.
27. Cut 2-3 small steam vents in the top.
BAKE:
28. Bake 35-40 minutes until pastry is deep golden brown and crisp. A thermometer inserted through a steam vent into the salmon should read 125-130°F (52-54°C) for medium, 140°F (60°C) for well done.
29. Rest 10 minutes before slicing—this allows the salmon to finish cooking gently and the juices to redistribute.
TO SERVE:
30. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut into thick slices, revealing the colorful layers.
31. Serve with lemon wedges, crème fraîche, or a simple dill-cucumber salad.
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