Smoked Salmon & Devon Crab Vol-au-Vent with Lemon-Dill Cream, Pickled Cucumber & Herb Oil
Crisp, golden pastry. Delicate Devon crab. Silky smoked Atlantic salmon. This elegant seafood starter brings together luxurious festive ingredients with fresh lemon, aromatic dill and lightly pickled cucumber for a beautifully balanced opening course.
An elegant first course designed to set the tone
Christmas dinner deserves an opening course that feels special without overwhelming everything still to come. This smoked salmon and Devon crab vol-au-vent has been created to do exactly that.
The presentation may feel restaurant-inspired, but the composition is deliberately straightforward. Crisp puff pastry provides height and texture, while delicately seasoned Devon crab creates a cool, creamy centre. Smoked Atlantic salmon is folded over the top rather than compressed into the filling, preserving its soft texture and giving the finished plate an elegant sense of movement.
Pickled cucumber adds a sharp, refreshing contrast. Fresh dill and lemon bring brightness, while a restrained herb oil gives the plate its final splash of colour.
“Festive food can feel luxurious without becoming complicated. Start with excellent ingredients, respect their individual flavours and let the presentation do the rest.”Created by Nicol Retailer Limited
Rich enough for Christmas. Fresh enough for a first course.
Flaky & crisp
The vol-au-vent gives the starter structure and a delicate buttery crunch against the soft seafood filling.
Delicate seafood
Sweet Devon crab is paired with smoked salmon rather than hidden beneath heavy seasoning.
Fresh acidity
Lemon and pickled cucumber cut through the richness and refresh the palate between bites.
Elegant presentation
Height, negative space and restrained garnishing give the finished plate a polished restaurant-style appearance.
Begin with ingredients worthy of the occasion
Premium pastry and good-quality seafood make the greatest difference to this dish. Shop the key ingredients from Nicol Retailer before preparing your Christmas menu.
Smoked Salmon & Devon Crab Vol-au-Vent
Everything you need — quantities, preparation and step-by-step cooking instructions — is in the recipe card below.
Smoked Salmon & Devon Crab Vol-au-Vent with Lemon-Dill Cream, Pickled Cucumber & Herb Oil
Ingredients
For the vol-au-vents
- 4 Pidy medium vol-au-vent pastry cases
- 120 g Devon white crab meat well drained
- 120 g smoked Atlantic salmon thinly sliced
- 100 g full-fat cream cheese
- 60 g crème fraîche
- 1 tbsp fresh dill finely chopped
- 1 tsp lemon zest finely grated
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the quick-pickled cucumber
- 150 g cucumber very thinly sliced into ribbons
- 30 ml white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 0.25 tsp fine sea salt
For the herb oil
- 15 g fresh parsley
- 10 g fresh dill
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch sea salt
For finishing
- 20 g smoked salmon reserved for garnish
- 4 sprigs fresh dill for garnish
- 1 tsp lemon zest finely grated
- micro herbs optional
- freshly ground black pepper to finish
Instructions
Prepare the pickled cucumber
- Using a mandoline or vegetable peeler, cut the cucumber into very thin ribbons.
- Mix the white wine vinegar, caster sugar and sea salt until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the cucumber ribbons and leave to pickle for 15–20 minutes.
- Drain thoroughly before plating.
Make the herb oil
- Place the parsley, dill, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt in a blender.
- Blend until vivid green.
- For a finer restaurant-style finish, pass the oil through a fine sieve or muslin.
- Set aside until needed.
Crisp the vol-au-vents
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan / 200°C conventional / Gas 6.
- Place the vol-au-vent cases on a baking tray.
- Warm for approximately 5–7 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until crisp and golden.
- Keep warm but do not overbake.
Prepare the crab filling
- Mix the cream cheese, crème fraîche, chopped dill, lemon zest, lemon juice and black pepper until smooth.
- Gently fold through the crab meat, taking care to retain visible flakes of crab.
- Taste before adding salt, as the seafood may already provide sufficient seasoning.
Prepare the smoked salmon
- Cut the smoked salmon into elegant ribbons.
- Reserve a few attractive pieces for the top of each vol-au-vent.
Fill the pastry
- Spoon or pipe the lemon-dill crab mixture into each warm vol-au-vent.
- Arrange folded ribbons of smoked salmon over the top.
- Keep the salmon loose and natural rather than tightly packed.
Plate and finish
- Place one filled vol-au-vent slightly off-centre on each plate.
- Arrange a small curl or ribbon of pickled cucumber beside it.
- Add several small drops of herb oil around the plate.
- Finish with fresh dill, lemon zest, freshly ground black pepper and optional micro herbs.
Notes
Let the crab filling sit out of the refrigerator for around 10 minutes before serving. Extremely cold filling can mute the flavour of the crab, dill and lemon. Use the smoked salmon in loose folds rather than packing it tightly into the pastry. This gives the starter height and a cleaner fine-dining presentation. Use Craigellachie Smoked Atlantic Salmon from Nicol Retailer’s seafood range. Keep the lemon restrained. The aim is to brighten the seafood rather than mask the delicate crab and smoked salmon. For an elegant Christmas presentation, use a wide pale plate and finish with only a few drops of herb oil, a curled cucumber ribbon and small dill fronds. Fresh herbs, cucumber and citrus can be sourced from Nicol Retailer’s Fresh Produce range. If preparing for guests, the pickled cucumber, herb oil and crab filling can all be made earlier in the day. Keep them chilled separately and assemble shortly before serving.
Gluten-Free Variation To make the starter gluten-free, replace the standard pastry with Pidy Gluten Free 4cm Neutral Tartlet Cases.Keep the same Devon crab, smoked salmon, lemon-dill cream, cucumber and herb oil filling, but always check the latest product labels for gluten and allergen information before serving. For guests with coeliac disease, prepare the gluten-free version with separate utensils, trays and work surfaces to reduce cross-contact.
Vegan Variation For a vegan version, replace the seafood and dairy filling with a plant-based mixture of:
– finely chopped artichoke hearts or hearts of palm
– vegan cream cheese
– unsweetened plant-based crème fraîche or thick vegan yoghurt
– fresh dill
– lemon zest
– lemon juice
– black pepper Use smoked carrot ribbons or roasted red pepper in place of smoked salmon.
For the base, use a vegan pastry case and confirm the pastry is suitable for a vegan diet from the product label. Fresh dill, cucumber, lemon and herbs can be sourced through Nicol Retailer’s Fresh Produce range. Chef’s Vegan Tip
For the smoked carrot, blanch very thin carrot ribbons briefly, then marinate them with lemon juice, olive oil, dill and a small amount of smoked seasoning. Chill before plating.
The aim is not to imitate salmon exactly, but to create a refined smoky vegetable element that works naturally with the creamy filling and pickled cucumber.
Nutrition
How to serve it for Christmas
Serve one vol-au-vent per person as an elegant plated starter. For the most polished presentation, use a large white or softly coloured plate so the pastry remains the visual focus.
Begin with the vol-au-vent
Position the filled pastry slightly off-centre rather than placing it directly in the middle of the plate.
Add freshness
Place a small curl of pickled cucumber alongside the pastry. Keep the portion restrained so it refreshes rather than dominates.
Finish with precision
Add a few drops of herb oil, fresh dill, finely grated lemon zest and freshly ground black pepper immediately before serving.
Six details that elevate the finished dish
Fill at the last moment
Assemble shortly before serving to protect the crisp layers of the puff pastry.
Drain the crab thoroughly
Excess moisture can loosen the cream mixture and eventually soften the pastry.
Take the chill off the filling
Remove it from the refrigerator around 10 minutes before assembling so the seafood flavours are more expressive.
Fold, don’t pack, the salmon
Loose folds create height and preserve the salmon’s soft, delicate texture.
Keep the lemon restrained
Lemon should brighten the crab and salmon rather than becoming the dominant flavour.
Leave space on the plate
A restrained garnish and generous negative space create a much more sophisticated result than overcrowding.
What can you prepare ahead?
The crab filling, pickled cucumber and herb oil can all be prepared earlier on the day of serving and refrigerated separately.
Keep the pastry cases dry and separate. Re-crisp them if necessary, allow them to cool slightly and assemble the starter shortly before your guests sit down.
This preparation strategy leaves only plating and garnishing to do at the last minute — particularly useful when serving several courses.
A simple pastry substitution
Replace the conventional vol-au-vent with Pidy Gluten Free 4cm Neutral Tartlet Cases or another pastry base that is clearly labelled gluten-free.
The seafood filling, cucumber and herb oil can then be prepared using products suitable for the individual’s dietary requirements.
Always check the current ingredient and allergen information on the product packaging before serving. If cooking for someone with coeliac disease or a diagnosed food allergy, appropriate cross-contact controls are also important.
Reinterpret the dish rather than imitate it
For a plant-based version, replace the seafood filling with finely chopped artichoke hearts or hearts of palm folded through vegan cream cheese, plant-based crème fraîche, lemon and fresh dill.
Thin ribbons of smoked or lightly roasted carrot make an elegant topping. Finish with the same pickled cucumber and herb oil to retain the freshness and visual character of the original dish.
Explore Nicol Retailer ingredients →Useful independent food guidance
For general UK guidance on fish as part of a balanced diet, see the NHS information on fish and shellfish. For food allergies and allergen labelling, refer to official Food Standards Agency guidance.
Product recipes, ingredients, allergens, pack sizes and specifications can change. Always check the product information and the manufacturer’s packaging when your order arrives, particularly when purchasing for dietary or allergy requirements.
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