A Jole of Salmon With Ginger

Posting for ZWT British From Fine English Cookery/Michael Smith Prep time does not include marinating time for the fish.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 4

Ingredients

• 750  g/ 1 1/2 lb middle-cut salmon
• 2  tablespoons  oil
• 1  tablespoon lemon juice
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 60  g/ 2 oz seedless raisins
• 2  large  piece gingerroot
• 1  little lemon juice
• 250  g/ 8 oz puff pastry
• 1  beaten egg

Directions

1. Get your fishmonger to skin and fillet the piece of salmon. Put the fillets into a shallow dish and pour the oil and lemon juice over them, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Let the pieces of fish soak in this liquor for 6 hours, turning them at hourly intervals.
2. Roll out the pastry into a square large enough to parcel the salmon. Re-form the fillets into their original whole shape and place them near the front edge of the pastry. Finely slice the ginger and put a cushion of these slices over the top of the fish.
3. Soak the raisins in the remainder of the marinade, plus a little of the ginger syrup, warming them slightly so that they plump up but do not burst. Arrange these in a second cushion on top of the ginger.
4. Fold over the pastry to meet the front edge, first brushing the bottom edges all around with a little beaten egg, and press the two edges together. Nick at 1-inch intervals with a sharp knife.
5. Brush over the whole pastry surface with the rest of the beaten egg and sit the jole on a wetted baking sheet. Decorate the top at will with pastry leaves or circles. Make two small slits in the top to let the steam out.
6. Bake in the centre of an oven pre-heated to 220C/425 F/gas mark 7 for 20 minutes then for a further 20 minutes at 190 C/375 F/gas mark 5, until the pastry is golden and crisp.