Rainbow Smoked Salmon Salad In Puff Pastry

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 sheet puff pastry (thawed)
• 6 ounces cream cheese (softened)
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
• 6 ounces smoked salmon (finely shaved slices)
• 16 fresh grape tomatoes (sliced)
• 2 eggs (hard-boiled, halved & sliced)
• 1 carrot (sliced in 1/4 in coins & cooked crisp-tender to tender, your pref)
• 8 canned asparagus spears (use green asparagus spears cut to 4-in length or cooked fresh asparagus cut to 4-in length)
• 1/2 onion (halved again & thinly sliced, may use boiler or pearl size thinly sliced in rings)
• 1 tablespoon capers (optional garnish)
• 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley flakes (optional garnish)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 375°f.
• 2 on a lightly floured surface, roll out cold pastry sheet. cut 4 5x5 in squares. using a dull kitchen knife, gently score cut squares 1/2 in inside all cut edges to create a 4x4 in inside square.
• 3 dock the 4 in inside square of the pastry to prevent excessive puffing (this is done by piercing the dough at 1/2" intervals w/the tines of a fork).
• 4 line the 4-in inside square w/foil or parchment paper & place dried beans or rice on it to stop the pastry base from rising excessively in the oven.
• 5 gently transfer squares to baking sheet & bake 15-18 min or till golden brown. remove from oven & set aside to cool.
• 6 while pastry is baking, cook carrot coins to desired doneness, prepare other ingredients & set aside.
• 7 combine cream cheese, dijon mustard, lemon juice & dried dill. mix well & set aside.
• 8 to assemble salads: gently remove any excess puffed pastry from the 4x4 in inside square so that surface is relatively flat. spread each scored 4-in pastry area w/approx 1 1/2 tbsp of the cream cheese dressing.
• 9 then assemble salads all at 1 time in rows using the following order & begin at the top as you face the pastry shells:.
• 10 row 1: layer 4-inch row of sliced grape tomatoes -- row 2: place 2 cut-to-size asparagus spears -- row 3: layer 4-inch row of shaved smoked salmon slices -- row 4: layer 4-inch row of sliced egg halves -- row 5: layer 4-inch row of carrot coins.
• 11 scatter thinly sliced onion rings (or segments) over the top of all salads.
• 12 garnish w/capers &/or dried parsley flakes as desired. serve immediately or refrigerate till ready to serve.
• 13 note: edited to add after rsc concluded -- if you prefer to eliminate the use of puff pastry, these salads assemble easily on a salad plate of mixed greens -- not near as elegant, but just as pretty!