Finnish Salmon And Dill Pie Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Brush both sides of the salmon with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
• Warm 2 tablespoons oil in 2 separate skillets over medium-high heat. Add half of the onion and half the garlic to each pan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and thyme into 1 pan and the spinach, lemon zest and remain lemon juice in the other pan. Stir the spinach until it wilts, then transfer it to a bowl and set aside. Saute the mushrooms until they are reduced and tender, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream. Set aside.
• Trim the thinner ends of the salmon fillet so you have 4 pieces of even thickness. Unroll a pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Pass a rolling pin lightly over 2 or 3 times to seal the seams and lengthen slightly. Cut the pastry sheet into 3 equal strips, using the natural seams as a guide. Roll out the second puff pastry sheet to get 1 more strip. Save remaining puff pastry for another use. Lightly prick the 4 strips with a fork. Put 1 heaping spoonful of mushroom mixture on 1 half of each pastry, top with salmon, then layer with a heaping spoonful of spinach mixture. Wet the edges of the pastry with water and fold over the other half, pressing lightly and folding to seal the edges. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling. Cut 2 vents on the top of each pastry packet and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Bake until the pastry is golden and fish is just opaque in the center, about 25 to 30 minutes.
• Transfer the pies from the oven to serving dishes and garnish with chopped parsley.

Steps:

• Boil the potatoes in salted water for 20 mins until tender. Drain, then mash with the green from the onion, the butter, milk and plenty of seasoning until smooth and lump-free.
• Pour the milk into a pan and add the butter and flour. Cook over a medium heat, whisking until the sauce is bubbling and thickened. Stir in the white parts of the onion, then bubble again for a min. Cool for about 5 mins, stirring frequently, then add the egg yolks, dill and smoked salmon. Season to taste.
• Divide the pollock between 8 x 300ml pie dishes or ramekins. Scatter over the prawns, stir then spoon over the smoked salmon sauce. Top each pie with mash, then cover and chill until ready to cook. They will keep in the fridge overnight.
• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the pies on baking sheets, then bake for 30 mins until bubbling and starting to turn golden. Serve with the broccoli (below).

Steps:

• Put the salmon in a bowl. Roughly crush the peppercorns and fennel using a pestle and mortar, then add to the salmon with the sugar, salt and half the dill. Mix well and leave to stand while you cook the wheat berries.
• Cook the wheatberries in 4 times their volume of water for 25 mins, or following pack instructions. Drain well and leave to cool. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Mix the onion with the lemon juice and set aside. Put the spinach in a colander. Pour over boiling water from the kettle to wilt the leaves, then drain well, squeeze out any excess water and pat dry. Tip the spinach, onion, lemon juice and sundried tomatoes onto the wheatberries and mix.
• Mix the crème fraîche, mustard, remaining dill and some seasoning in a small bowl. Fold through the wheatberry mixture.
• Unwrap a sheet of puff pastry and line a 20 x 30cm rectangular flan tin. (If you are using a straight-sided tin, line the base with a strip of baking parchment.) Spoon in half the wheatberry mixture and cover with the salmon. Spread the remaining mixture evenly over the top. Brush the edges of the pastry with egg, then lay the second sheet of pastry on top. Press the pastry edges together to seal, then trim the excess.
• Brush the top of the pastry liberally with egg, and bake for 40-45 mins until the pastry is crisp and rich golden. Leave to cool and take to the picnic in the tin covered in foil or cling film, then cut into thick slices to serve.