Salmon Rillettes
Description
20+ years ago, on a trip to France during my own Olympic Campaign I traveled to a small town named Crozon-Morgat for the Volvo Youth Sailing World Championship. The food available in town was almost exclusively seafood—and somehow squid ink pasta just didn’t sound good after a full day on the water. That’s where I discovered (and fell in love with) Salmon Rillettes. Salmon rillettes is a luxurious yet approachable French dish that combines the rich, smoky flavors of smoked salmon with the creamy texture of mayonnaise. This elegant spread, often infused with zesty lemon, and a hint of Dijon mustard, is perfect for smearing on crusty bread or crackers. Whether served as an appetizer at a dinner party or enjoyed as a savory snack, salmon rillettes is both simple to prepare and utterly satisfying. Bon appetit!
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 1 tbsp minced shallots
- 1 lb fresh boneless skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 oz smoked salmon, diced
- 2 tbsp thinly sliced fresh chives
- ½ cup mayonnaise (recipe below)
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
- Toasted baguette slices
Homemade Mayonnaise:
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
- ½ cup canola oil
Instructions
Mayonnaise:
- Combine the egg yolks, mustard, vinegar and lemon juice in a small bowl.
- Lightly season with salt and pepper; mix for about 1 minute or until ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Continue to mix and slowly drizzle in the canola oil, being sure the mayonnaise does not break and comes together as a thick emulsion. Transfer to a tightly sealed container and store under refrigeration for up to one week.
Salmon Rillettes
- Combine the white wine and shallots in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Simmer over medium-low heat until the shallots are tender, about 2 minutes.
- Add the salmon pieces and poach until they are just barely opaque, about 2 to 3minutes.
- Remove the salmon pieces from the wine and immediately drain them on a baking sheet lined with a towel.
- Strain the wine, reserving the shallots.
- Place the salmon and shallots in the refrigerator to cool completely.
- Combine the poached salmon pieces, reserved cooked shallots, smoked salmon, chives, and some of the mayonnaise and lemon juice in a stainless steel bowl.
- Use the mayonnaise and lemon juice sparingly, so that just enough is added to moisten the mixture.
- Gently stir the mixture until thoroughly combined –do not over mix or mix too hard.
- Season the rillette to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve cold with toasted baguette slices.
Notes
Recipe from Le Bernardin chef Eric Ripert