Coulibiac
My mum used to make this delicious fish pie when we were younger, it was a right treat, she used to make it shaped like a fish and I'm not sure if my memory is playing tricks on me but I'm sure she used to decorate it with scales and everything!
This is the first time I've ever made it, it wasn't entirely successful, but most of my problems were caused by me freezing the puff pastry sheet. It's OK to freeze a block of pastry and then roll it out, but not a ready rolled sheet, no matter what they say, it just doesn't work - I will know for next time.
I made quite a plain flavoured rice to go in mine, but you can spice it up a bit.
The pie is of Russian origin and is traditionally made with salmon layered with rice, mushrooms, eggs and dill.
Coulibiac
I've struggled with how to best convey this recipe to you, I don't want you to be bound by the way I made the pie as there are so many possibilities, so here goes.
Heat the oven to GM4/180C.
The Shell You will need some puff pastry. I recommend getting 2 ready rolled sheets. You may have some left over, but you could make some palmiers or cinnamon swirls for dessert with the trimmings. You can get 2 blocks and roll your own. You will need a beaten egg for glazing and sealing.
The Fish I used a boneless, skinless fillet of salmon weighing 350g. The recipes I read advised about 700g for a full sized one and I would think that would feed 6. You need to par cook the salmon. Wrap it in buttered foil, season and bake it for 10 minutes for a small piece, 15-20 for a larger piece. Then you need to cool it and drain it so that it wont make the pastry soggy.
The filling I cooked 3oz basmati rice and when I made the pie I had some left over. So you would probably get away with 2oz for a small pie and need 4 for a larger one. I fried half a small onion, a few thinly sliced mushrooms and chopped in some spinach, seasoned it and mixed with the rice, along with 2 roughly chopped, hard boiled eggs. I kept mine plain as it was the first time I'd made it and I wanted Lauren to like the concept before I started adding weird and wonderful things but at this stage you can add something as simple as a bit of lemon juice and zest with some dill. If you are feeling more adventurous you might like to add some turmeric and cumin and coriander, maybe a bit of chilli and make a kedgeree style rice.
Making the Pie Place a sheet of pastry on a baking sheet, position your drained salmon in the centre. You can egg wash the pastry before putting the salmon on to help stop the pastry getting soggy if your salmon is still moist. Top the salmon with the rice mixture. Brush beaten egg around the pastry surrounding the salmon and then cover with the second sheet of pastry. Press down to make a seal, trim the pastry, then brush the beaten egg over the top. Poke a couple of air holes in the top with a skewer or the point of a sharp knife or even with a fork.
This bit is where your artistic flair can take over, you can make a square or a rectangle, could try putting a latticed top on (you will need a special lattice roller for this or you will need enough patience to cut strips and do it manually). You could make any shape you like, as I say my mum used to make them fish shaped.
Decorate as you please too. I put a little fish shape on top of mine, but the world is your oyster!
You then need to bake the pie in the oven for about 25 minutes until the pastry is golden.
You can eat it hot with some vegetables and a sauce, such as a parsley sauce.
It makes a great buffet pie and goes well with a butter sauce, or even cold with salad and some mayonnaise.
So despite all the problems I had with my sticky pastry which wouldn't unwrap and tore, it actually came out OK, Lauren absolutely loved it, but why wouldn't she - she loves salmon and rice and pastry, so I was always on to a winner. Next time though I want to make individual fish shaped ones.
This is the first time I've ever made it, it wasn't entirely successful, but most of my problems were caused by me freezing the puff pastry sheet. It's OK to freeze a block of pastry and then roll it out, but not a ready rolled sheet, no matter what they say, it just doesn't work - I will know for next time.
I made quite a plain flavoured rice to go in mine, but you can spice it up a bit.
The pie is of Russian origin and is traditionally made with salmon layered with rice, mushrooms, eggs and dill.
Coulibiac
I've struggled with how to best convey this recipe to you, I don't want you to be bound by the way I made the pie as there are so many possibilities, so here goes.
Heat the oven to GM4/180C.
The Shell You will need some puff pastry. I recommend getting 2 ready rolled sheets. You may have some left over, but you could make some palmiers or cinnamon swirls for dessert with the trimmings. You can get 2 blocks and roll your own. You will need a beaten egg for glazing and sealing.
The Fish I used a boneless, skinless fillet of salmon weighing 350g. The recipes I read advised about 700g for a full sized one and I would think that would feed 6. You need to par cook the salmon. Wrap it in buttered foil, season and bake it for 10 minutes for a small piece, 15-20 for a larger piece. Then you need to cool it and drain it so that it wont make the pastry soggy.
The filling I cooked 3oz basmati rice and when I made the pie I had some left over. So you would probably get away with 2oz for a small pie and need 4 for a larger one. I fried half a small onion, a few thinly sliced mushrooms and chopped in some spinach, seasoned it and mixed with the rice, along with 2 roughly chopped, hard boiled eggs. I kept mine plain as it was the first time I'd made it and I wanted Lauren to like the concept before I started adding weird and wonderful things but at this stage you can add something as simple as a bit of lemon juice and zest with some dill. If you are feeling more adventurous you might like to add some turmeric and cumin and coriander, maybe a bit of chilli and make a kedgeree style rice.
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| Lauren's portion with the fish decoration |
This bit is where your artistic flair can take over, you can make a square or a rectangle, could try putting a latticed top on (you will need a special lattice roller for this or you will need enough patience to cut strips and do it manually). You could make any shape you like, as I say my mum used to make them fish shaped.
Decorate as you please too. I put a little fish shape on top of mine, but the world is your oyster!
You then need to bake the pie in the oven for about 25 minutes until the pastry is golden.
You can eat it hot with some vegetables and a sauce, such as a parsley sauce.
It makes a great buffet pie and goes well with a butter sauce, or even cold with salad and some mayonnaise.
So despite all the problems I had with my sticky pastry which wouldn't unwrap and tore, it actually came out OK, Lauren absolutely loved it, but why wouldn't she - she loves salmon and rice and pastry, so I was always on to a winner. Next time though I want to make individual fish shaped ones.
Yhis is a lovely dish, we had it once at you mum and Dad's. I make a sluts versoin with a chunk of salmon cut in half fennel or parsley in the middle. Puff pastry turned into a fish, mine always looks like a plaice though. Tastes good and is easy but yours is the classic, I am a hopeless rice cook.
ReplyDeleteWell!! my Daughter holds memories of her younger days, yes I did make this delicious dish, if my memory serves me right I made it slightly different and as you say I did always put scales using a knife. Also I made tail with the excess pastry. I have every confidence though that your dish was delicious.
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