Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Salmon Pie

We have about 20 pounds of wild Alaskan salmon in the freezer that we bought this summer & I really need to start putting it in the menu. Problem is, I tend to think of salmon, & fish in general, as warm weather food not the hearty comforting stuff we like in the winter. Then I remembered a classic fish pie my friend made for her English husband a while back & realized that was just the ticket.
Salmon Pie
It may not be the prettiest dish but it's darn tasty.
I started looking a fish pie recipes online & there seems to be a lot of love out there for Jamie Oliver's. I don't think it's a very classic version, there's no white sauce for one thing, but oh, was it ever tasty & perfect for winter. It sounds really weird when you started reading the ingredients & method, grated carrot & celery as the base of the filling? Still, once cooked the flavors really blended together well & there is just a hint of sweetness that comes through which I found surprising. The salmon cooked up perfectly moist & flaky. I loved the fact there was very little precooking in this recipe except for the potatoes.

I stuck relatively close to Jamie's recipe in general but adapted based on what I had on hand. He used salmon, smoked haddock & prawns in his version. I chose to just use salmon which was more than enough fish in the pie. I cut back on the amount of cheese & added some sour cream to the filling. Finally, I added some milk to the potatoes to make them fluffier. We will make this again but next time I'll add some capers or olives for a little saltiness.

Salmon Pie
(adapted from Jamie Oliver)

2 russet potatoes, peeled & cut into 1-inch pieces
1 carrot, peeled & grated
2 celery stalks, grated
2 oz sharp cheddar, grated
chopped chile pepper, 1/2 - 1 depending on how hot you like it
8 - 10 oz salmon fillet, skin & bones removed, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 T verjus or lemon juice
big handful of flat-leafed parsley, chopped
1/4 c sour cream
salt & pepper
2 T olive oil
milk

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Put the potatoes in a pot of water to boil until soft, about 10 - 15 minutes. When cooked drain.

Meanwhile, in a 6 x 9 baking dish (an 8 x 8 would probably work too) mix together the carrot, celery, cheddar, chile pepper, salmon, verjus, parsley & sour cream. Season with a little salt & pepper.

Mash the potatoes with the olive oil, some salt & pepper & enough milk to make fluffy.

Top the salmon mixture with the potatoes. Bake for 40 minutes until golden brown.

4 servings.

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12 comments:

  1. capers and/or olives would be a perfect addition to this fabulous pie!

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  2. So pretty, and I'm thinking a lovely dish to serve company, too.

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  3. Wow, this really has my mouth watering, seriously! Love this idea, Kathy.

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  4. This sounds quite yummy. Will have to remember it.

    My fiance sears salmon, then places it in a baking dish, puts a pepper jelly on it, then broils it. It is absolutely fabulous, and quite good for the colder months.

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  5. I'd say it just the ticket. Warm comforting and lovely.

    BTW- salmon burgers are the absolute bomb. We made them and we loved them. SO much better with salmon fillets rather than canned salmon.

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  6. What an aweful problem to have. ;) I've never made a fish pie. I agree about feeling it is a warm weather food. I have some white varieties to use up myself and just can't get myself in the mood.

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  7. i have never heard of a fish pie! i have tons of salmon in my freezer as well, it's a favorite of mine, but i never thought to bake it into a pie...

    intriguing to say the least!
    thanks for posting! i'll let you know if i give this a whirl :)

    love your blog ;)
    -meg
    @ http://www.clutzycooking.blogspot.com
    @ http://www.myscribblednotebook.blogspot.com

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  8. i've never ever seen a fish pie and i can imagine that it'd be unphotogenic, yet your picture makes it look quite appetizing! and yeah, that's coming from a fish-hater. :)

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  9. This is a great idea! The problem here is that Roberto is allergic to salmon but I love it. I could make one for myself and eat it over the course of a week for lunch! Thanks for solving my salmon problem!

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  10. I wish I had your stock of salmon - I bought some frozen salmon not long ago and I'm not loving the quality, but I'm too cheap to throw it out! This does look tasty, though!

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  11. I love your adaptations! I think a bit of smoke is essential to a fish pie, so I'd probably sprinkle a little smoked paprika over the top, if I wasn't using some smoked fish in it.

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  12. Looks amazing, I'm going to give it a try.

    This Fish Pie recipe is my favorite.

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