An easy entree to impress dinner guests — or just to provide a fun, family meal — is saumon en croûte, or in English, salmon in pastry. The pastry is merely the same dough I use for pie crusts, and I always try to keep some dough in the freezer so it's at hand.
Roll the pastry to the thickness you would use for a pie crust, then wrap it completely around a salmon filet, pinching the seams and cutting away the excess. Place the pastry-wrapped filets on a cookie sheet. Use a knife or fork to poke a few small holes in the pastry to allow steam to escape, then brush some beaten egg over the top. Bake at 400F for about 12-15 minutes until the crust is golden (but not burnt).
The secret to success — which makes the dish even easier — is to use frozen salmon. The defrosted filets should be rinsed and patted dry before wrapping.
And best of all, the dish can be made in advance, then reheated in the oven before serving. (Though take care to reheat at a low temperature like 250F to avoid burning the crust.)