How to Make Salmon Rillettes

Serves: 6

Preparation time:  15 mins + 1 hour (inactive)

Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients needed to make Salmon Rillettes:

• 1 (20 oz) salmon fillet, skin on and deboned
• 4 oz smoked salmon, finely diced and at room temperature
• 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• ½ cup shallots, finely chopped
• ¼ cup Pernod
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp lemon zest, finely grated
• 3 tbsp crème fraiche
• 3 sticks unsalted butter
• ½ tsp freshly ground white pepper
• 3 tsp kosher salt
• Crackers or crostini, to serve

Cooking instructions for Salmon Rillettes:

• Place the salmon fillet in a bowl and rub the measured seasonings all over it.
• Coat it with Pernod and wrap the bowl with a plastic sheet.
• Leave in the fridge for half an hour and flip it over before refrigerating for another half an hour.
• Add 2 sticks of butter into a small skillet and melt it, undisturbed, it over slow flame until it foams.
• Skim off the foam from its surface and pour it into a bowl; set aside.
• Pour water in a saucepan until it stands 1’’ from the base and bring it to a boil.
• Roll a foil into a rope and coil it into the pan.
• Place the marinated salmon on top of this coil and drizzle the marinade over it.
• Place a lid on top and steam over moderately low heat for about 8-10 minutes, until the flesh turns opaque.
• Drain it out into a plate and set aside.
• Throw away the cooking liquid plus foil and return the pan over moderate heat.
• Melt 1 tbsp butter into it until it foams and throw in the shallots.
• Sprinkle a dash of salt and ground pepper over them and sauté for about 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until they soften.
• Turn off the heat and keep aside.
• Dunk rest of the butter into a bowl and smash it until smooth.
• Whisk in the cream fraiche to mix well and keep aside.
• Break the cooked salmon into irregular yet large pieces and place them in a bowl; get rid of the skin and darkened flesh.
• Tip the sautéed shallots into it, along with smoked salmon, egg yolks as well as lemon zest and add a splash of lemon juice over them.
• Sprinkle with a dash of seasonings and stir them all together until well combined.
• Add the crème fraiche mixture over it and fold them together until they mix well and the salmon crumble into smaller chunks.
• Spoon the rillettes mixture into 6 ramekins, leaving 1/3’’ of the latter free.
• Smooth out their surface with a spatula and leave in the fridge for an hour to chill.
• Drizzle the cooled clarified butter over the rillettes and wrap the surface with plastic sheet.
• Refrigerate again until chilled and bring them up to room temperature before serving.
• Skim off the butter layer and serve alongside crostini or crackers.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons