Fresh salmon poached gently in a wine court-bouillon, flaked and folded with hot-smoked salmon, softened butter, shallot, chives and lemon. A rillettes by texture, served on baguette toasts.
Untested: not yet made in this kitchen. It is here for the Pâtés and Terrines section and is adapted from the source named in the Notes.
Ingredients
- ½ pound center-cut skinless salmon fillet
- 1 tablespoon anise liqueur, such as Pernod
- Salt and white pepper, as needed to season the salmon
- 1 celery rib
- 1 leek, halved
- 1 small onion, quartered
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 cups water
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large shallot, minced (¼ cup)
- ½ tablespoon sour cream
- ¼ pound skinless hot-smoked salmon, flaked
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
- Baguette toasts, to serve
Directions
- Season the salmon with the Pernod, salt and white pepper and let stand 30 minutes.
- Simmer the celery, leek, onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, wine and water 25 minutes.
- Add the salmon, cover and take the pan off the heat for 10 minutes. Lift out the salmon, chill about 45 minutes, then flake.
- Soften the shallot in 1 tablespoon of the butter and let cool.
- Whisk the remaining 4 tablespoons butter smooth with the sour cream. Fold in the shallot, both salmons, the chives, lemon juice, oil and paprika. Season to taste and serve with baguette toasts.
Notes
Source Adapted from Anna Zepaltas, “Salmon Rillettes,” Food & Wine.
A rillettes in name Nothing here is cooked in fat or sealed under it; the name has come to mean the shredded, spreadable texture. The closer fish analogue to pork rillettes is salmon poached in duck fat at 65 °C (William Drabble, Great British Chefs).
The Pâtés and Terrines section’s Rillettes and Potted Meats page (/pates-and-terrines/rillettes-and-potted/) covers the history and technique behind this dish.
The photo The photograph shows salmon rillettes, not this exact recipe.