A friend of mine (Leslie) sent me a recipe for salmon Wellington, and I loved the concept.(Thank you, Leslie, for the idea). I love salmon, and I love Wellington, but I have a rule at my favorite fish place (Crosby’s Crabs): I always buy the freshest thing in the display case (unless it’s fresh lutefisk in which case I’m having a steak). So with a few additions and a few subtractions, we have a beautiful looking dish with lots of flavor notes. I hope you like it.

2 pounds boned halibut fillet
2 oz salmon caviar
8 oz shiitake mushrooms
4 oz spinach wilted
1 leek cleaned and slice in 1/8 inch rounds
1 puff pastry sheet
4 oz blue crab claws or crab meat
4 tablespoons white wine
4 oz butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
Egg wash
1 egg
2 tablespoons water

Cut leek into 1/8 inch rounds and put in a bowl of cold water to make sure all sand is removed.

Preheat oven to 375.

Thaw the puff pastry.

In a large skillet on medium, heat olive oil and the mushrooms; cook for 5 minutes until most of the water is gone.

Add leaks and cook for 4 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add spinach and cook until wilted; remove from heat.

Roll out puff pastry on floured board or counter.

Coat fish with the old bay seasoning.

Add the spinach mixture to center of the puff pastry.

Top spinach mixture with halibut.

Top halibut with wine.

Top halibut with melted butter.

Top halibut with crab meat.

Top crab meat with caviar.

Seal puff pastry; tuck any extra at ends underneath and cut 3 1-inch slits in pastry.

Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.

Brush on egg wash .

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown. Keep an eye on this

Serves 4