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Salmon Rillettes

Salmon rillettes: a creamy, chunky spread of fresh and smoked salmon with herbs.
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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:

  1. Combine the egg yolks, mustard, vinegar and lemon juice in a small bowl.
  2. Lightly season with salt and pepper; mix for about 1 minute or until ingredients are thoroughly combined.
  3. 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

  1. Combine the white wine and shallots in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
  2. Simmer over medium-low heat until the shallots are tender, about 2 minutes.
  3. Add the salmon pieces and poach until they are just barely opaque, about 2 to 3minutes.
  4. Remove the salmon pieces from the wine and immediately drain them on a baking sheet lined with a towel.
  5. Strain the wine, reserving the shallots.
  6. Place the salmon and shallots in the refrigerator to cool completely.
  7. Combine the poached salmon pieces, reserved cooked shallots, smoked salmon, chives, and some of the mayonnaise and lemon juice in a stainless steel bowl.
  8. Use the mayonnaise and lemon juice sparingly, so that just enough is added to moisten the mixture.
  9. Gently stir the mixture until thoroughly combined –do not over mix or mix too hard.
  10. Season the rillette to taste with salt and pepper.
  11. Serve cold with toasted baguette slices.

Notes

Recipe from Le Bernardin chef Eric Ripert

Find it online: https://doubleshotcreative.com/createwithdsc/salmon-rillettes/

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