Dinner tonight was a version of Russian Fish Pie, the recipe is from “Tana Ramsay’s Real Family Food: Delicious Recipes for Everyday Occasions’ and is salmon encased in rice in puff pastry. As we no longer have this cook book (had to go back to the library) I have no quantities for the ingredients, I tend to do this just by eye.

2 x Salmon fillets

Pack of puff pastry

Rice
Creme Fraiche

Mushrooms (chestnut)

2 x Leeks

Thyme

Dill

Cinnamon

Star Anise

Garlic

1. Roll out a third of the puff pastry into a rectangle, this will be the base of the dish, then place in oven (200c) for 10-15 minutes till brown.

2. Cook enough rice to cover the base of the puff pastry and the salmon. I use basmati rice, which I wash thoroughly then fry in some oil with star anise and cinnamon before adding enough water, once water is boiling reduce heat and leave to simmer. When the rice is just about cooked, turn off the heat and cover pan with foil then the lid, the steam should then continue cooking the rice.

3. Fry the leeks and garlic till soft, season, add thyme and mushrooms and continue cooking for a few minutes.

4. Add salmon to the pan, on top of mushroom and leek mixture then put the lid on and let the salmon cook for 10-20 mins. Once cooked remove the salmon and take off the skin.

5. Add remaining mushroom and leek mixture to the cooked rice and combine with dill and creme fraiche, the mixture should be a thick consistency. Add a layer of rice mixture on top of the cooked pastry, add the salmon then cover the fish with the rice mixture.

6. Roll out remaining puff pastry and cover the dish, then bake in over for 15-25 minutes.
This dish works well on its own, you could add some capers or green peppercorns to the rice mixture for some added bite.