Get ready to be the life of any spring party: Just show up with this beautiful tart, featuring the trio of rich puff pastry, tangy creme fraiche and buttery cold-smoked salmon. Those luxurious elements are paired with fresh cucumber, herbs and pickled shallot for perfect balance in every bite.
Some practical notes: Take out the puff pastry and salmon at the same time so they’re ready simultaneously. To prevent large air pockets from forming in the pastry as it bakes, prick the center of the pastry deeply all over with your fork beforehand (this is called “docking”). But if a pocket or two does form while baking, no worries: give it a quick, gentle poke with a fork to deflate.
Once the tart is out of the oven, let it cool for at least 20 minutes before adding the toppings so they stay fresh. This tart travels well, so take it to a potluck or picnic and watch it disappear.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 lemon
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- all purpose flour
- 1 14-ounce package frozen puff pastry thawed
- large shallot sliced into thin rings
- 1 tbsp cup red or white wine vinegar
- 2 Persian cucumbers sliced into long, thin planks
- 4 ounces ButcherBox Cold Smoked and Sliced Sockeye Salmon defrosted
- 2 tbsp capers or chopped cornichons
- Chopped dill or chives for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the creme fraiche, egg and mustard. Finely grate the zest from the lemon into the bowl, add ½ teaspoon salt and whisk to combine.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment. Lightly flour a work surface and roll the puff pastry out to form a rectangle, about 13-by-11-inches and about ¼-inch thick. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score a ½-inch border around the edges of the puff pastry (be careful not to cut all the way through). Dock the center of the pastry all over with a fork.
- With a spoon or spatula, evenly spread the creme fraiche mixture all over the center of the pastry, staying inside the borders. Bake until the pastry is golden brown and puffed around the edges, and the crème fraiche mixture is set, 25 to 30 minutes. (Check for air bubbles in the pastry once or twice during baking time; poke any that form gently with a fork to deflate.) Let cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toss the shallot rings, vinegar and ½ teaspoon salt in a small bowl.
- To serve, evenly layer the cucumber slices over the creme fraiche mixture. Season lightly with salt. Blanket the salmon over the cucumbers. Drain the shallots and sprinkle them over the salmon, followed by the capers and dill. Season lightly with pepper. Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
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Some brands of puff pastry are already the size we call for in this recipe. Measure yours before rolling; you may not need to roll it at all.
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