Salmon Rillettes

To celebrate salmon day, 5 Fructidor, we are taking a page from Antoine Carême and making a fish mold. In the engrossing Cooking for Kings, we learn that one of his most memorable and decadent dishes was Salmon a la Rothschild. Carême served as personal chef to James Mayer Rothschild among other luminaries of the time – George IV (when he was Prince Regent), Tsar Alexander I, Napoleon and Tallyrand. The truffled salmon dish requires 4 bottles of champagne, a pound of truffles, and an enormous salmon. The salmon was stuffed and covered in a mixture of three different whitefish, poached in champagne and the scales were made out of sliced truffles. My interpretation of this dish substitutes a cup of white wine for the bottles of champagne and a copper fish mold for the truffle scales. The rillettes recipe is taken from Saveur and the fennel crackers are from an upcoming Fructidor day.

Salmon Rillettes

2 scallions, minced

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 cup dry white wine

1 lb fresh salmon fillet

1/4 lb smoked salmon

2 tbs butter

1 small shallot, minced

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tbs grainy dijon mustard

1 tbs capers, chopped

1/2 tsp honey

2 tbs dill, chopped

1 tbs cilantro, minced

Instructions

First, add the darker parts of the scallion, a slice of lemon, the wine, half cup of water and a pinch of salt to a large pan. Bring to a boil, add the salmon, skin side up and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 1 minute, then cover and remove from heat. Leave covered for ten minutes. Then, remove the salmon (discard the liquids and scallions) to a plate and let cool in the fridge for 20 minutes.

To the softened butter add the lemon zest, half of the lemon juice, the rest of the scallions, the shallot, and salt and pepper to taste. Break apart the smoked salmon into small chunks and add to the butter mixture.

In a separate bowl, add the mayo, mustard, capers, honey, rest of lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine and then gently add to the smoked salmon mixture.

Using the cooked salmon, peel off the skin and break the fillet into small pieces. Again, gently, add to the smoked salmon mixture and add the dill and cilantro and additional salt if needed. If using a mold, first heavily butter the mold. Press the salmon mixture into the mold and refrigerate until set. Enjoy!